Global sports betting and gaming group Entain has donated £100,000 to fund relief efforts in response to the unfolding COVID-19 emergency in India.
Undertaken via the Entain Foundation, the company has also detailed support for the work of Crown Agents, the not-for-profit international development organisation which will arrange and oversee distribution of support.
This donation will enable Crown Agents to supply 25 Invacare Platinum Oxygen concentrators, as well as the drugs Remdesivir, Tocilizumab and Dexamethasone, used in the treatment of the virus.
The combination of the oxygen concentrators and medical supplies will allow for the treatment of more COVID-19 patients in their own homes, in turn reducing some of the strain on India’s medical infrastructure.
Fergus Drake, CEO of Crown Agents, noted: “We are deeply concerned about the current situation in India. Especially in these difficult times, we must stand together to beat the virus globally, once and for all. We very much welcome Entain’s support and are committed to continue to work with our funders globally to beat this deadly disease.”
Entain employs over 2,500 people via its IvyTech subsidiary in Hyderabad. The group says that it’s making extensive efforts in support of its Indian-based colleagues and their families on the ground, including the procurement of critical medicines, emergency hospitalisation support, assistance with medical insurance and online medical consultations.
In addition to this, the Foundation believes it is vital to contribute to the wider relief effort. This decision is in line with a commitment to support the communities in which the group operates.
Jette Nygaard-Andersen, CEO of Entain, added: “We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our colleagues and the Indian people at large in what is a hugely challenging time for all. We hope that the supply of oxygen concentrators and COVID-19 drugs will make a contribution to helping in the fight against this dreadful virus.”
