AMIR Khan has launched an appeal to help India in its fight against coronavirus which is spreading rapidly across the nation.

In one week, India reported more than two million coronavirus cases and it is estimated that one person is dying every four seconds in New Delhi, the nation’s capital.

In a bid to battle the surge in cases, the Bolton-born boxing champion has announced details of an emergency appeal which he hopes will help ensure that India’s most vulnerable get the help they need.

The Amir Khan Foundation has partnered with Mumbai-based NGO network Dasra to identify five organisations working on the ground across major cities including Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru and Gujarat.

The appeal will help five organisations across India provide key support and healthcare during the crisis.

The Bolton News:

One person is dying every four seconds in the Indian capital of New Delhi

The Bolton News:

A woman in grief

Since launching last Thursday (April 29), the fundraiser has already raised more than £16,000.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has recently pledged to send an additional 1,000 ventilators to India after previously sending 200 of them, alongside 495 oxygen concentrators and three oxygen generation units.

Across the five NGOs – Swasti, SaveLIFE Foundation, Aajeevika Bureau, Swasth Foundation and Goonj – the money will go towards oxygen concentrators, testing communities for co-morbidities, providing support to migrant communities and delivering food and health care to the most vulnerable.

Appearing on BBC news from Dubia yesterday morning, Amir said: “India accounted for nearly half of the world’s reported Covid cases last week.

“It’s one of the biggest crises that we’ve experienced and every penny is going to help people.”

Speaking to The Bolton News, he said: “One person is dying every four minutes in New Delhi.

“It’s our duty to help our brothers and sisters in India. We must act now.”