India COVID Relief 2021

In continuation of its multi-benefit program for several classes of underserved communities across India in 2019-20, Boehringer Ingelheim India is focusing on providing nutrition and livelihood support to marginalized tribal communities in Maharashtra as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program in the current year.

In addition, Boehringer Ingelheim’s COVID-19 relief package of over EUR 800,000 aims to – a) fund social benefit and sustenance programs amongst the underserved and neglected; b) contribute to medical aid; and c) sustain the efforts of it’s already established ‘Making More Health’ initiative in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Including the Boehringer India CSR funding, Boehringer Ingelheim’s funds deployment in India towards social benefit programs amounts to EUR 1 million.

Boehringer Ingelheim’s innovative social entrepreneurship initiative Making More Health, enables communities there to build self-sustaining and healthy lives through a series of long-term development programs. These programs, like many others, were impacted on account of the pandemic and lockdown situation. Boehringer Ingelheim has allocated funds for the salaries of the partner workers and for sustenance programs in these communities over the next six months.

The company is significantly enhancing its support to the fight against COVID-19 through contribution from the Global Support Program to bring more financial relief, protective materials, and medicine donations to healthcare institutions and communities in need around the world. In India, the focus over the coming months is to rebuild livelihoods and communities battered by the impact of COVID-19, especially in tribal villages, while providing them with nutrition and sustenance at a time when they are afflicted and / or unable to provide for their families. This is in addition to funding medical supplies to meet the immediate demand of the healthcare system.

Some of Boehringer Ingelheim India’s initiatives so far in this direction cover children’s nutrition and education; support for therapy of the blind; and enabling health infrastructure for rural access. Marked by partnerships with several non-profit organizations, our social benefit initiatives included:

• Digital Learning for children in rural areas of Maharashtra: Establishing digital learning modules for the children and infrastructure for a learning environment benefitting over 600 children in Panvel, Raigad District of Maharashtra.
• Mid-day meals for children in various schools belonging to the marginalized sections of the society.
• Village Support Program: to enable improved sanitation, health and early childhood education in one village and an Anganwadi in Panvel.
• Special education and visual rehabilitation therapy for 22 children (up to 18 years of age) with multiple disabilities and visual impairment.
• COVID-19 response: Provided 1000 frontline healthcare workers in Municipal Capacity Building and Research (MCMCR) with PPEs, in addition to oxygen concentrators for patients in Dharavi, Mumbai.