Providing crucial support to the nation to meet a sudden shortage of medical oxygen for COVID-19 patients, especially during the second wave, Reliance repurposed its factory in Jamnagar in record time to produce liquid medical oxygen. This was ramped up to meet the life-saving needs of 100,000 patients on a daily basis, delivered free of cost to various states. The facility contributed to 11% of India’s total production of medical grade liquid oxygen. Though Reliance was not a manufacturer of medical-grade liquid oxygen, it became India’s largest producer of this life-saving resource from a single location in order to stand with the country in its hour of need. Under the personal supervision of Shri. Mukesh D. Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, the manufacturing facility at Jamnagar in Gujarat was repurposed to produce over 1,000 MT medical grade liquid oxygen and increase transportation capacities. This two-pronged approach helped ensure swift and safe supply to various states and Union Territories across India.

Medical grade liquid oxygen has to be produced in liquid form at -183°C with almost 99.5% purity, which poses extraordinary challenges and risks in production and maximising tonnage. Reliance engineers worked tirelessly and through process optimisation and modifications of Cryogenic Air Separation Units, were able maximise production of medical grade liquid oxygen in a very short span of time. To ensure swift transportation, Reliance engineers made logistical modifications to rail and road transport, such as laying parallel lines, using hoses, and loading up liquid tankers through pressure differential, since liquid oxygen pumps cannot be installed at short notice. Another crucial need was transportation capacity for which Reliance airlifted 32 ISO containers and additionally augmented transportation capacity for the country in partnership with the Indian Air Force, Aramco and bp for sourcing and transportation. This helped fulfil a critical need in assured availability of medical grade liquid oxygen for the treatment of severely ill patients across the country. As part of Mission Oxygen, Reliance came together to help save lives, pulling all its facilities together for the nation

Realising that during the lockdown marginalised and under-resourced communities across the country would need support with immediate food requirements, Reliance Foundation quickly launched a programme to distribute food to the needy. Mission Anna Seva became the largest meal distribution programme by a corporate foundation anywhere in the world, supplying vulnerable communities with cooked meals, ready-to-eat food packets, food coupons, dry ration kits across 19 states and 4 Union Territories under this mission. This was facilitated by the expansive support of the Reliance Retail team across the country along with volunteers who supported the packing, preparing and supplying provisions for the initiative and a network of 200+ NGO partners who helped deliver relief kits and bulk rations to reach those most in need.

These partners and volunteers ensured Mission Anna Seva reached the last mile by identifying communities and families that need help and by stepping out amongst them, even in these uncertain times, to provide help to vulnerable communities.

Overall, 8.5+ crore meals were delivered to support marginalised communities, daily-wage earners and frontline workers across the country. The programme reached frontline workers carrying out essential COVID-19 services besides daily wage earners and migrant labourers, slum-dwellers, factory workers, and old-age home and orphanage residents.

Reliance Foundation also provided bulk rations to community kitchens that were serving meals to migrant families, labourers, homeless and other needy people. Reliance Foundation also supported migrant labourers returning to their home towns and villages by providing cooked meals and rations to support them during these challenging times. Mission Anna Seva was a lifeline for people returning to their native places from cities. Volunteers from across Reliance work sites in Mumbai, Silvassa, Vadodara, Patalganga, Hazira, Jhajjar, Shahdol, Jamnagar, Dahej, Barabanki, Nagothane, Gadimoga and Hoshiarpur distributed meals in their respective locations as well.

Meals were also distributed among truck drivers transporting essential items, who found it difficult to access food as restaurants were shut due to the lockdown. Reliance petrol stations in West Bengal, Kerala and Odisha also reached out to distribute meals to truck drivers.

Stray animals had a tough time finding food due to the fall in human activity during the lockdown. Extending its care to animals as well, provision was made for the distribution of food for stray animals. Animal food was provided to partner organisations which look after stray animals. Grain feed was provided for birds and fodder kits were also provided for livestock in rural areas. Over one lakh animals were provided care and treatment during the pandemic

To help meet the sudden demand for specialised healthcare facilities during COVID-19, Reliance Foundation set up medical, quarantine and intensive care facilities, providing for over 2,000 COVID-19 hospital beds across different locations in India.

Reliance Foundation demonstrated its commitment and capacity to rise up to the situation during the response to the COVID-19 crisis setting up the first, COVID-19 dedicated hospital in India in just two weeks in March 2020, in collaboration with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporate (BMC).

The Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre (RFH) set up special medical facilities and quarantine services for patients form the safety of their home.

In response to the second wave, Reliance Foundation scaled up its support. This included a dedicated COVID-19 care facility at the National Sports Club of India, Worli, Mumbai, managed by the Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital, and Gujarat’s first paediatric COVID-19 hospital at Jamnagar. All facilities were set up in record time keeping the urgency of the prevailing situation in mind.

Reliance Foundation’s Mobile Medical Units continued to provide medical assistance to the rural communities in the times of COVID-19 and also helped raise awareness about precautionary measures like social distancing, wearing masks and hand washing in surrounding villages.

To ensure uninterrupted emergency services, Reliance Foundation provided free fuel to government notified vehicles and ambulances to ease the transportation of COVID-19 patients. Reliance Foundation provided over 27 lakh litres of free fuel, supporting 70,000+ ambulances across 21 states and 3 Union Territories. The mission to distribute free fuel for ambulances across 21 states was taken up between May and September 2021 during the second COVID wave, providing a much needed boost to emergency response services.

To raise awareness on prevention and safety, Mission COVID Suraksha focused on the distribution of 1.4 crore masks across India to frontline warriors and communities across 26 states and Union Territories, along with raising awareness on the importance of COVID-safe behaviour. Reliance Foundation distributed masks to police personnel, municipal workers and vulnerable communities with high risk of exposure. A multi-lingual booklet, distributed with the mask, informed users about proper ways to wear it along with mask hygiene.

In addition, over 9.5 lakh sanitisers, 5+ lakh ORS packets and 2+ lakh gloves were distributed across 20 states and Union Territories.

To boost the nation’s COVID-19 vaccination drive, Reliance also launched Mission Vaccine Suraksha in April 2021, as a mark of commitment to protect the larger community. Mission Vaccine Suraksha enabled free COVID-19 vaccination across the country, covering communities, employees and families across the country. Vaccine doses were also provided through outreach efforts to vulnerable communities in different locations.

Reliance collaborated with local authorities and governments through its Mission Vaccine Suraksha initiative under the overall ‘We Care’ umbrella. This included free vaccination doses provided to the governments of Kerala, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra besides various other national and regional organisations to speed up the vaccination drive.

Mission Vaccine Suraksha aimed to reach every last mile resident, including people with disabilities, the elderly, homeless and those in far-flung locations, with free COVID-19 vaccination. This initiative continues as vaccination is still the only available protection from coronavirus, thus contributing towards the country’s vaccination mission. Reliance Foundation also conducted vaccination drives across India such as in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Kerala, among other states. These drives supported several vulnerable groups in accessing COVID-19 vaccination.

During COVID-19 pandemic, Reliance Foundation Information Services connected rural livelihood practitioners with government officials and experts (scientists, researchers) to address issues that were faced while enrolling for various government schemes, agriculture and allied services inputs. Together with various stakeholders the Information Services created awareness, supported employment drives to meet temporary paramedical staffing requirements, helped provide medicines and met other necessities such as supporting oxygen plants.

During the first wave, the emphasis was on ensuring market linkages for rural communities and delivery of information, agricultural inputs and basic essentials including nutrition. The focus during the second and third wave was on sustained campaign towards protection and enhanced prevention through vaccination and adherence to COVID-19 safe behaviour while carrying out usual livelihood activities.

Reliance Foundation also provided specialist help and advice to Gram Panchayat leaders and other rural community groups on various schemes for financial support and livelihood opportunities through virtual conferences for farmers, fishermen, livestock owners and migrant labourers. These services helped reach close to 44+ lakh people in rural India with continued livelihood support.

Through its continuous effort to serve the country and its people during the pandemic, Reliance and the whole Reliance family has demonstrated its will and the capacity to rise-up to the situation by mobilising all the necessary physical, human and technological resources to support the nation in this time of need.