I’m sure like me you feel completely shocked by the news coverage of the COVID crisis in India. The devastation is heartbreaking. Thousands are dying every day. Hospitals are overwhelmed, front line staff exhausted and medical supplies are running out.

One thing that has struck me is the images of the fires from mass cremations. Each one represents a precious life. It's hard to watch. We have all experienced some form of loss throughout this pandemic. But can you imagine saying goodbye to more than one family member, alongside hundreds who are doing the same thing? Just think what it must be like for doctors and nurses to choose which lives to save.

Right now, the Indian and Nepali Governments have identified Leprosy Mission hospitals to provide beds and care for COVID patients. We have created isolation wards and expanded our services. Some TLM hospitals have also been designated as COVID vaccination centres. And this comes at a time when many of our key staff and their families are suffering themselves from COVID-19 and have been hospitalised. The situation is urgent and we need your help.

As so often happens in any crisis, it's the most vulnerable who are left behind. The gap between rich and poor has never been more evident. You won't see people affected by leprosy in the news. Most have not yet been vaccinated, and they can’t afford to travel to big hospitals in the hope of treatment for COVID. Even if they did, they would be last in the queue. We can’t watch and do nothing. People affected by leprosy deserve to receive vital care like everyone else. Our front-line staff need vital resources and supplies to help those in desperate need.

They need your help to get through this crisis and beyond. But we need to act fast to save lives. Today, you can help make that happen.

£10 funds an oxygen mask

£15 fund a wall-mounted sanitiser

£32 will enable 5 people to access vaccinations centres and receive the vaccine

£50 funds a nebuliser

£350 funds a hospital bed for a month, providing immediate care

£1000 funds an ICU bed

Your gift will help save lives and enable people in leprosy-affected communities and the surrounding area to receive the life-saving treatment they need.