Caring in Crisis: Supporting India

Like many people around the world, Canadians are watching in horror as a third wave of COVID-19 sweeps through India, leaving the country with infection rates that far exceed the resources to care for victims.

On May 1 alone, almost 4,000 people were reported to have died in India due to the COVID-19 virus, while epidemiologists estimate that the true number could in reality be twice as high. Only two percent of India’s population of 1.39 billion has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The rates are climbing steadily, and there are not enough medicine, vaccines, personal protective equipment, oxygen, space in hospitals, or staff to treat patients. It is a tragedy layered on a global tragedy that has many UTS families feeling the need to help. 

At UTS, many of our students and parents know firsthand friends and relatives who are ill, and are worrying about relatives unable to travel or access hospitals in the event that they get sick. We are a deeply caring community, and with a diverse student population, tragedies abroad can feel very close to many.

Our thoughts are with our families with personal connections to India, currently experiencing a situation that is heart wrenching to witness from so far. Our community has responded quickly, with several students contacting school administrators to find out how they can fundraise themselves to feel that they are doing something to show their support and concern. Aditya, an M4 student, is quickly approaching his $5,000 goal. On the page, Aditya notes, “We live in a deeply interconnected world and the pandemic is not over until everyone, everywhere is safe.”

Former UTS Board member Prabhat Jha P ’16, ’20, who is a leading researcher in epidemiology and global health issues, has been an extremely strong advocate for the world to step in to help India address the human tragedy taking place. As we have seen, COVID does not have borders or nationalities. Dr. Jha, who served as a dedicated UTS Board Director from 2012 to 2020, has been advocating in the international media that it is the moral imperative for countries like Canada to provide assistance, as the crisis is integrally connected to the one we are experiencing in our country. He is well-versed on these issues, being the founding director of the Centre for Global Health Research at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Canada. 

While India is a major producer of vaccines, it does not have adequate supplies domestically. Many caring members of our community have encouraged anyone who wishes to help to consider organizations such as UNICEF India who keep administrative costs low and are providing timely help in this crisis. They estimate that they will need $21 million for urgent needs, and $50 million for lifesaving COVID mitigation strategies.

We will support our students and families affected by the India COVID crisis with deep compassion, and hope that Canadians will join the global effort to provide immediate resources to combat this massive humanitarian crisis.