Shah Rukh Khan provides 25,000 PPE kits to medical staff

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan on Monday provided 25,000 PPE kits to the frontline medical staff in Maharashtra fighting to contain the novel coronavirus pandemic in the Indian state.

Rajesh Tope, Minister of Public Health and Family Welfare of Maharashtra, said the "Fan" actor's contribution will help the healthcare workers immensely.

"Many thanks Mr Shah Rukh Khan for your kind contribution of 25,000 PPE kits. This will go a long way in supporting our fight against COVID19 & protecting our frontline medical care team @iamsrk @MeerFoundation @CMOMaharashtra," Tope tweeted.

Replying to the minister, Shah Rukh said everyone is united in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Thank you sir for all your help to source the kits. We are all together in this endeavour to protect ourselves and humanity. Glad to be of service. May your family and team be safe and healthy," the actor wrote on the microblogging site.

The development comes weeks after it was announced that Shah Rukh's NGO Meer Foundation will work with the Maharashtra and West Bengal governments for the supply of 50,000 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the healthcare professionals.

Recently, the actor, along with wife Gauri Khan, offered their four-storey personal office space for treating COVID-19 patients.

The 54-year-old superstar had earlier announced various initiatives to help the country during the crisis.

The actor has taken the help of his other companies — Kolkata Knight Riders, Red Chillies Entertainment, and Red Chillies VFX — to provide support to the central and state governments.

Shah Rukh along with Gauri and business partners — Juhi Chawla and Jay Mehta — will be contributing to the PM-CARES Fund through IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and will also make a donation to the Maharashtra CM's Relief Fund through his film banner Red Chillies Entertainment.

Meer Foundation has also tied up with Ek Saath – The Earth to provide daily food requirements to over 5500 families for at least a month in Mumbai.

The NGO, in association with Roti Foundation, will provide 3 lakh meal kits to 10,000 to underprivileged people and daily wage labourers for at least a month in Mumbai and will support 100 acid attack victims in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Uttarakhand.

As per Union Health Ministry, COVID-19 death toll rose to 324 and number of cases climbed to 9,352 in India on Monday.