Over 150 groups come together to aid COVID-19 response

Over 150 groups representing different sections of society have come together to aid the government's coronavirus response.

The #COVIDActionCollab (CAC) has been formed to combat the spread of COVID-19 effectively, according to a statement by the Catalyst Group, a 26-year-old social impact platform which ideated the collaborative.

It said their purpose is to support various stakeholders -- civil society, private sector, academics, networks, foundations and Central and state governments -- to rapidly and cost-effectively prevent new infections, diagnose early, treat appropriately, and mitigate the negative impact of the pandemic on peoples' livelihoods.

On the strategy adopted by the Collaborative, Shiv Kumar, the Co-founder, Catalyst Group said, The Collaborative is driven by three strategies: Deliver high impact package of services to key communities (12.5 million), where the collaborative members have a direct presence or reach, complementing the government; setup and operate an information exchange and build capacities of key partners and actors; solve critical challenges which can have a high impact on response with solutions such as competent resource estimation, nuanced telehealth and tele-counselling networks, infrastructure for community surveillance and more."