Walmart, Flipkart secure one million medical gowns in coronavirus fight

The companies have committed Rs 46 crore to support India's fight against the pandemic.

US retail giant Walmart Inc., its Indian e-commerce company Flipkart and the Walmart Foundation will spend Rs 46 crore to secure personal protective equipment (PPE), facemasks and gowns for use against the coronavirus pandemic in India.

The organisations will also provide financial support for non-government organizations (NGOs) providing essential relief materials to farmers and small businesses. Walmart and Flipkart have secured 300,000 N95 masks and one million medical gowns, and they will continue to leverage their global supply chains to source these critical necessities for medical workers who stand at the frontline of the fight against the Covid-19 outbreak in India.

“Our customers and associates in India have been deeply impacted by Covid-19 and our hearts continue to be with them,” said Kathleen McLaughlin, executive vice president and chief sustainability officer for Walmart and president of the Walmart Foundation. “In times like these, we all need to come together to support our communities and the efforts of healthcare workers, NGOs and government organisations. We are grateful to all those providing relief in India and we want to help.”

The Walmart Foundation is donating money to Goonj and Srijan, two NGOs supporting vulnerable communities in the coronavirus outbreak. The funds will be used to support the procurement of essential relief materials, such as food, medicine, and hygiene items, for distribution by the organisations to support farmers, rural communities, and the micro-businesses. 

“Our Flipkart teams are working around the clock to respond to the Covid-19 crisis with care and compassion. We are very proud of them. The emergency relief efforts we are announcing today underscore our commitment to continuing to work with the private and public sector in India to respond to this unprecedented challenge,” said Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO, Flipkart Group.

While keeping supply lines open to ensure that Indian consumers have access to essential daily necessities, Walmart and Flipkart are also taking important steps to help protect public health and the safety of customers and associates as the Covid-19 situation continues to evolve. These efforts include enhanced hygiene practices across the supply chain and delivery network, insurance and health benefits for workers, contactless deliveries where possible and supporting cashless payments.