South Bombay group puts new spin into Covid-19 care contribution
(Left to right) Meds For More campaign quartet - Dr Marcus Ranney, Raina Ranney, Aparna Gupta and Ruchie Kothari
Cuffe Parade residents have launched a new Covid-19 caregiving campaign called #medsformore, where locals collect unused Covid-19 medicines from the neighbourhood and distribute them to clinics that cater to the nearby slums and a jumbo Covid-19 centre.
The donation boxes placed in the buildings
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Drs Raina and Marcus Ranney will scrutinise the collected medicines and sort them for distribution. Currently, 14 buildings are part of the initiative. Dr Marcus Ranney said, “It has been labelled the Robin Hood movement, as this is an effort to make medication — some of it quite expensive — accessible to the poor for free.” Volunteers in buildings will place a donation box at designated spots, where residents can leave their unused medicines. Collection will happen twice a week.
“We saw that many who recovered from Covid-19 in this area have surplus medication,” said Dr Ranney, who set the ball rolling with a single message on his building WhatsApp group. “This is a good way to give to the underprivileged and the idea is to see that these resources reach those who truly need them. We do, of course, have parameters for what kind of medicines are accepted. For instance, they have to be leftover medicines that are in good condition and not expired. This is still a work in progress but it has started very well, with so much enthusiasm.”
The doctors added that the current focus is on the pandemic, but long-term plans include broadening the campaign with other non-Covid-19 medication, using the same model. Building Coordinator Ansh Rastogi (16), from Mehr Naz building had already seen 10 medicine strips in the carton he placed in the building in a few hours.
“It is moving to see people coming forward to donate,” he said. “This proves that people did not want to waste the medicines, some of which are very expensive. They just did not know what to do with it. #medsformore shows them an effective and convenient way to do so.”
Ruchie Kothari, who is part of the movement, said, “We have discovered that people are desperate for help and there are people who are desperate to help. It is a privilege to give both sets an avenue for that. The model has already caught the imagination of so many people that they want to replicate it in their vicinity.”
Medicines being accepted
Dolo, fabiflu, vitamins B, C and D; zinc, cough syrups and inhalers (non-contaminated), steroids and painkillers.
Do you want to join the mission and run local collections in your area? Email: medsformoreindia@gmail.com
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