Apollo Hospitals partners WWF-India for forest staff welfare

Healthcare major Apollo Hospitals has joined hands with WWF-India for providing immediate medical relief and support to forest guards in case of a severe medical emergency while they are on duty.

"In an effort to address severe medical conditions and provide immediate medical relief and support, WWF-India and Apollo Hospitals have announced a one-year partnership for the forest guards," Apollo Hospitals and WWF-India said in a joint statement. The partnership covers quality medical treatment of patients on a first-come-first-serve basis. "The services made available to the forest staff would also include air ambulance and other emergency medical rescue services," it added.

"For other cases, WWF-India and the state forest departments involved will admit the sick/injured staff to the nearest Apollo Hospital or its franchisee at their own expense," the statement said. Apollo Hospitals Group CSR Vice Chairperson Upasana Kamineni said, "We at Apollo Hospitals group understand the perils that these frontline staff go through and we are always there to support them and are happy to help conserve our wildlife."

The support will be provided in priority landscapes where WWF-India is actively working along with the state forest departments. "We welcome this partnership with Apollo Hospitals which will boost their (forest guards) morale and empower them," WWF-India Secretary General and CEO Ravi Singh said.