Sistema.bio announces Rs 2M COVID-19 financial package for employees and customers
The financial package, rolled out in collaboration with Shell Foundation, will cover the expenses of the patient and their immediate family members.
Global biogas player Sistema.bio has rolled out a financial assistance package of Rs 2 million, which will cover the initial cost of treatment for its customers and employees affected by COVID-19.
According to a statement released by the company, this financial package will cover the expenses of the patient and their immediate family members including RT/PCR tests, doctor’s consultation, medication, and instruments prescribed such as thermometer, oximeter, etc. The Mexico-based company also announced that it will bear the cost of vaccination for all its employees across the country.
Sistema.bio’s partner, UK-based charity Shell Foundation, is also supporting the social enterprise by providing telemedicine facilities for its on-ground staff through DocOnline, an external service provider, that offers telephone-based support to connect skilled doctors (multi-lingual) with individuals in areas without access to smartphones.
It has decided to extend this support across 13 states and 26 districts of India including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Assam.
Commenting on the development, Piyush Sohani, Country Director of Sistema.bio, India said, “As we work with small holder farmers across the country, we understand the plight that they are facing due to the pandemic. We announced this financial assistance as we want all our customers to avail medical facilities and not take the second wave of COVID-19 for granted. While our teams are personally in touch with all our customers, we will be using our partners as well as dealers to ensure that each customer is aware that Sistema.bio is looking out for them.”
The business has also partnered with foundations, NGOs, volunteer organisations, consultants, among others to ensure that its financial programme reaches all its customers.
Sistema.bio is a social enterprise, that manufactures and sells biogas technology to farmers and helps them become more sustainable, independent, and productive. It has its presence in over 30 countries including in regions like Asia, Africa and Latin America. The Indian headquarters of the company is located in Pune.
According to Deepak Goel, Regional Director, Shell Foundation India, "Our partners are faced with a challenging situation where their staff have to perform field duties and are particularly vulnerable despite
all the precautions. The burden on the healthcare system is huge, and often medical services are not easily available in rural areas. We are happy to support Sistema.bio, as well as our other partners working in India, with quick medical advice at hand that would help them manage both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 ailments to the extent of which home treatment is possible.”
Edited by Anju Narayanan