: The Association of Surgeons ofIndia (ASI) on Thursday said it has raised Rs one crore towards purchase of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers and the PM CARES fund.ASI president P Raghu Ram said various state chapters of the Associationandsome its Sections, including Association of Breast Surgeons of India, Association of Colon and Rectal Surgeons of India and Indian Association of Endocrine Surgeons (which are part of the parent body - ASI) have togethercontributedRs 77 lakh to the Central ASI fund.The fund is being utilised solely towards bulk purchase of PPEs.The ASI has placed the order to procure the PPEs from a Central government-approved, Bengaluru-based manufacturer with an established track record, he said in a release.Within 10 days, the PPE sets would be delivered to the representatives of ASI in every state, which in turn will be"hand delivered" to those healthcare workers in the frontline, that need them the most, Raghu Ram said.The Delhi Chapter of ASIhas in the past three days spentRs 20 lakh -Rs18.5 lakh towardsprocuring PPE and Rs 1.5 lakh towards the much-needed N 95 masks which are desperately needed for clinicians and healthcare workers working in ICUs treating COVID-19 positive patients.The Rs 20 lakh expenditure is part of the Rs 93 lakh raised, the release said.Further, the Association of Minimal Access Surgeons of India (AMASI), which is a Section of Association of Surgeons of India, has contributed a generous sum ofRs 20 lakh to PM CARES fund, it said.In addition tohis personal contribution of Rs two lakhand a few other members, the total contribution to PM CARES fund from Surgeons in ASI is Rs 23 lakhs, he added.Raghu Ram also said he has been featured in three social media clipsmade byUNICEF in partnership with the Central Government to createawareness and spread hope in the fight against COVID-19.
