Ride-hailing platform Uber has partnered with the National Health Authority (NHA) to provide transport service to frontline healthcare workers in India, who are engaged in the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Uber will initially facilitate the provision of 150 cars at zero cost to support medical facilities located in New Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Kanpur, Lucknow, Prayagraj and Patna through its recently launched UberMedic service.
All UberMedic cars provided to NHA will be geared up with roof-to-floor plastic sheeting enclosing the motorist’s seat, thereby acting as a protective barrier between the rider and motorist, it added.
Furthermore, each UberMedic car will be disinfected after every ride to make sure the highest possible safety and hygiene standards in line with government guidelines.
“Uber is proud to partner with the National Health Authority to offer free UberMedic rides to transport frontline healthcare workers in particular locations for helping contain the spread of COVID-19. All drivers will be specially trained in safety procedures and provided with personal protective equipment consisting of masks, sanitizers and disinfectants to sanitise UberMedic cars after each ride,” Uber India and South Asia President Pradeep Parameswaran stated.
With the enforcement of the 21-day lockdown, the government has permitted only people in services like healthcare, banking and media to commute. Limited mobility options have made it difficult for these individuals to travel to their workplace.
Indu Bhushan, official of National Health Authority, said the partnership with the ride-hailing service provider in this hour of need is a much-needed initiative to extend required support to the healthcare workers who are involved in the battle against COVID-19.
“Limited mobility options had made it difficult for frontline workers to travel to their workplaces which is the hospital. This initiative will further strengthen India’s response to contain the spread of COVID-19,” Bhushan said.
About 5,194 people in India have been confirmed as being infected with the coronavirus. The virus has killed 149 people in the country.
