Cognizant, IBM reach out to employees in the fight against Covid-19

Oxygen supply, vaccination and medical attention from doctors form the core of these initiatives

IT services major Cognizant launched Operation C3—Cognizant Combats Covid-19—as to help its associates in India and their communities which are impacted by the outbreak.

These efforts will be focused on three primary areas: supporting Covid care facilities, supplementing oxygen supplies to address the acute shortage, and providing access to vaccinations.

“We are immediately providing $1.5 million (approximately Rs 10 crore) through the Cognizant Foundation to operationalize response efforts with our partners across India. We’re also providing an additional $2 million (approximately Rs 15 crore) in emergency funding to Unicef in India to help address acute shortages in life-saving oxygen and deploy medical and testing supplies,”  said Rajesh Nambiar, Executive Vice President and Chairman, Cognizant India, in a note to the employees.

As part of this initiative, the company is helping establish and support Covid Care Facilities across India, including offering their own facilities to be operated as care facilities. “We’re supporting the set-up of oxygen generation plants in hospitals to help them overcome oxygen shortages. And we’re working to facilitate special centers to make vaccination easier for people with disabilities,” he said.

In addition to the above, Cognizant is providing access to vaccines for all of its associates and their dependents, medical support for Covid-19 positive associates and their immediate family members, paid leave for Covid care or recovery, and emergency financial support for junior staff in dire cases to help cover medical expenses.

“Defeating Covid will take all of us working together, but I’m confident that we will persevere together. We will continue to monitor the situation and adjust our response accordingly, and we will provide you with regular updates on changing conditions and what we’re doing to help,” said Nambiar.

On Wednesday, Arvind Krishna, chairman and CEO, IBM too reached out to employees in India. As a part of mobilizing efforts IBM supplementing medical coverage to ensure Covid-19 care for IBMers. IBM has put in place a dedicated health line where IBMers in India who are isolating at home can receive medical care and consultations from medical professionals.

When it comes to vaccination IBM is supporting efforts to increase vaccination among IBMers. “For those who volunteer, we are creating a decentralized distribution model where IBMers and their covered family members can get the vaccine in any approved center close to where they live or a facility on our own campuses,” wrote Krishna in a notification to employees.

Other than this Krishna also said that IBM is leveraging its voice and influence to rally global support. “This weekend I joined US business leaders in urging the Biden Administration to expedite assistance. We are also now working with the US and Indian governments as well as the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, the Business Roundtable and the US-India Business Council within the US Chamber of Commerce to accelerate critical aid. This includes donating funds for 2,500 oxygen concentrators and working with local partners to fund emergency hospital beds in communities where our teams live and work,” he wrote.