Teck Resources (TSX: TECK.A and TECK.B, NYSE: TECK) (“Teck”) announced Wednesday a C$500,000 ($412,000) contribution to UNICEF Canada in support of life-saving covid-19 response efforts in India.
“Our donation to UNICEF Canada will go towards the immediate life-saving response as well as long-term hospital infrastructure in the most impacted areas of India,” Don Lindsay, Teck CEO said in a media statement. “Covid-19 is taking a terrible toll on the people of India and our hearts go out to them. This funding will go towards urgent healthcare requirements and help support those most in need during this incredibly challenging time.”
UNICEF Canada support will focus on the most affected regions of India
“We are grateful to Teck for taking immediate action to meet the most pressing needs of families in India. With the covid-19 case count rising by the minute in India, UNICEF is racing to avert further tragic loss of life and to protect children’s futures,” said David Morley, CEO of UNICEF Canada. “Teck’s contribution will enable us to increase access to life-saving oxygen in India while also helping to provide the infrastructure to allow medical facilities across the country be better equipped to treat patients for years to come.”
The funding will be directed by UNICEF Canada for support initiatives in India including procurement of a new on-site Oxygen Generation Plant (OGP), which can provide enough oxygen for a 500 bed hospital. Hospitals treating severe/critical cases will be prioritized – but with a lifespan of 20 years, each OGP unit will continue to save lives of ill patients for years to come, including neonatal and obstetric care, surgery and intensive care.
Funds will also boost testing capacity by procuring additional RT-PCR machines. UNICEF will help boost test processing capacity in some of the worst affected districts. Lasting up to 10 years, each new testing unit will speed up identification and treatment of infections, and provide a legacy for testing for other deadly diseases such as TB, HIV, HPV and streptococcus, when covid-19 declines.
UNICEF Canada support will focus on the most affected regions of India.
This donation is part of Teck’s $20 million covid-19 Response Fund, supporting critical social initiatives and increased healthcare capacity in the communities in which Teck operates and globally.
Through the fund, Teck has also made a $1 million contribution to UNICEF Canada in support of the Access to covid-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, a global partnership dedicated to the equitable distribution of vaccines, treatment and testing for covid-19.
Teck further donated $500,000 to UNICEF (in collaboration with the World Health Organization Solidarity Response Fund) to provide critical medical and sanitation supplies, equipment and training in over 180 countries.