Coronavirus: Hero MotoCorp to provide 60 custom-built mobile ambulances for COVID-19 patients

Leading two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp on Tuesday said it is donating 60 first-responder mobile ambulances to authorities across the country as part of its COVID-19 relief efforts.

The mobile ambulances will be useful for reaching out to patients in rural and remote areas and comfortably moving them to the nearest hospitals, the company said in a statement.

The ambulances have been custom-built as an accessory to be fitted on Hero MotoCorp motorcycles, with an engine capacity of 150cc and above, it added.

The ambulance accessories include a sleeping arrangement with essential medical equipment such as a first-aid kit, oxygen cylinder, fire extinguisher, and siren, Hero MotoCorp said.

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These mobile ambulances will be handed over to authorities in multiple regions across the country, it added.

The Hero Group has already committed a corpus of Rs 100 crore as aid for the ongoing COVID-19 relief efforts in India. Half of this sum, or Rs 50 crore, is being contributed to the PM-CARES Fund, and the remaining Rs 50 crore is being spent on other relief efforts.

The BML Munjal University - run by the Hero Group at Dharuhera in Haryana - has offered its 2,000-bed hostel for use as isolation and treatment ward by the local health department.

Hero MotoCorp said it is also distributing more than 15,000 meals to daily wage workers, stranded labourers, and homeless families in several areas of Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, and Gujarat every day.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has seen the Indian automobile players helping humanity's fight. Mahindra, Maruti, and Hyundai are making low-cost ventilators. Also, MG Motor has commenced an Affordable Ventilator Challenge in order to aid the fight against coronavirus as part of its Developer Program and Grant initiative.

Besides, carmakers have donated generously to the PM-CARES Fund and various state government relief funds.

(Disclaimer: Additional background information has been added to this PTI copy for context)