Part 5/11:
Amid chaos, civil society and volunteer organizations mobilized rapidly. One such group, Mission Oxygen, comprised friends and entrepreneurs who launched an initiative to import oxygen concentrators from China, where WHO-approved suppliers operated. Due to overwhelmed logistics and canceled flights, they resorted to charter flights to expedite deliveries.
These volunteers worked tirelessly, often 18-20 hours daily, to distribute thousands of concentrators across 13 Indian states. Their efforts included setting up dedicated helplines, databases of resources, and coordinating with NGOs to reach rural and marginalized communities—places often ignored in national responses.