A group of likeminded Indians in Saudi Arabia has started a drive on social media to make available plasma, blood, oxygen, oxygen cylinders needed by their countrymen back home and in the Gulf region who have been hit by a massive Covid 19 wave.

A WhatsApp group and a Facebook page christened “Indo-Arab Helping Hands “ has been created to provide a common platform to the Indians in Saudi Arabia and those in India who need help to recover from Covid 19.

In a post on the Facebook page, a group member, Asad Ali, said three Twitter handles (@Indiansksa; @asiframeezleadinh; and  @asadali79) would also be used to circulate specific requests for help.

 “We are trying to be the bridge to help the Indian communities all across India and the Gulf region. In the present scenario, we will be collecting the specific requests for plasma, blood, oxygen, oxygen cylinders etc during the pandemic across the nation,” he said.

The group plans to coordinate with the mainstream media as well as the active verified portals and handles on social media “that have been constantly and tirelessly working day and night to help the distressed and needy Indians to combat coronavirus”.

Ali said he and other group members tried to extend all possible help to the Indian diaspora in the UK when the country was under the Covid-induced lockdown last year.

“It’s now time to come forward to help fellow citizens in India,” he said.

The group’s main focus would be to serve the Indo-Arab communities at large during such crisis, collect requests for help, and widely share them with the teams active in India.

The group was also trying to get such requests posted by the influential personalities on their twitter handles for a wider reach.

It was also endeavouring to identify the verified groups or donors in a particular city in India and connect them to the patient’s families.

“The group will be open for every Indian across the globe who has the intention of serving the community. Since it has been done individually so far, this very initiative will provide us the platform to contribute to the nation collectively in a more organized way as team,” said Ali.

He said all members were providing voluntary service and appealed to every Indian to be a part of the noble cause.

(SAM)