Nation shaken, says PM; US, UK, EU pledge assistance on vaccines to oxygen

With the Covid-19 surge crippling the nation’s healthcare system, United States National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan referred to as up his counterpart NSA Ajit Doval Sunday and conveyed to him that “just as India sent assistance to the United States as our hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, the United States is determined to help India in its time of need”.
From vaccines to its components, oxygen tankers to oxygen concentrators — US, UK and EU pledged assist to India. This comes the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Mann ki Baat radio deal with, mentioned that the Covid storm had “shaken” the nation and was “testing our patience.”
More than 600 items of significant medical gear shall be despatched to India to assist the nation in its struggle towards Covid-19, the UK Government mentioned.
“The United States has identified sources of specific raw material urgently required for Indian manufacture of the Covishield vaccine that will immediately be made available for India,” a White House assertion mentioned, after the Sullivan-Doval name.

“To help treat Covid- 19 patients and protect front-line health workers in India, the United States has identified supplies of therapeutics, rapid diagnostic test kits, ventilators, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that will immediately be made available for India. The United States also is pursuing options to provide oxygen generation and related supplies on an urgent basis,” it mentioned.

According to the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), an industry-led assume tank and foyer group, “India will soon receive at least a dozen ISO containers that will help transport oxygen within the country. These containers are being shipped or airlifted from different parts of Asia. Another dozen containers have already been identified for shipment to India and efforts are on to triple this number.”
“Members are working on airlifting oxygen cylinders into Delhi and a few other states that face shortage of oxygen supply,” USISPF mentioned.
Through beneficiant donations of its member firms, USISPF has positioned orders to supply 1 lakh transportable oxygen concentrators to be used at dwelling and hospitals to be shipped to India instantly. USISPF is already in contact with producers in US, Mexico, Malaysia and China. Sourcing of those concentrators is a problem as a result of provide aspect constraints.
“India will soon also receive a significant shipment of vaccine directly from pharmaceutical companies,” it mentioned.
The USISPF has approached firms within the US to provide and/or donate ICU beds, Covid-Test kits, N-95 Masks and different medical gear. “We expect the shipments to begin as early as Tuesday/Wednesday of the coming week”, it mentioned.

The US Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is funding a considerable growth of producing functionality for BioE, the vaccine producer in India, enabling BioE to ramp as much as produce a minimum of 1 billion doses of vaccines by the top of 2022.

Additionally, the United States is deploying an professional staff of public well being advisors from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and USAID to work in shut collaboration with the US Embassy, India’s well being ministries, and India’s Epidemic Intelligence Service employees. USAID will even shortly work with CDC to assist and fast-track the mobilization of emergency sources accessible to India by way of the Global Fund.
From the UK, 9 airline container a great deal of provides, together with 495 oxygen concentrators, 120 non-invasive ventilators and 20 guide ventilators, shall be despatched to the nation this week.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson mentioned: “Vital medical equipment, including hundreds of oxygen concentrators and ventilators, is now on its way from the UK to India to support efforts to prevent the tragic loss of life from this terrible virus.”
Earlier within the day, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted: “Our hearts go out to the Indian people in the midst of the horrific COVID-19 outbreak. We are working closely with our partners in the Indian government, and we will rapidly deploy additional support to the people of India and India’s health care heroes.”

Indian ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu thanked each Blinken and Sullivan for his or her “reach out and support”.
The EU commissioner for disaster administration, Janez Lenarcic, mentioned that the 27-nation bloc will do its utmost to mobilise help to assist folks of India. Lenarcic, the European Emergency Response Coordinator, mentioned, “Upon request for assistance by India, we have activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The EU will do its utmost to mobilise assistance to support people of India.”

 
He mentioned the bloc is already coordinating and is able to present “urgently needed oxygen & medicine rapidly”.
Meanwhile, the union’s ambassador to India Ugo Astuto mentioned that the EU, together with member nations, will do its “utmost to support India in this difficult moment”.
A prime Canada Foreign Ministry official mentioned that also they are mobilising sources to assist India. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif additionally expressed solidarity with India and mentioned that “global cooperation is imperative to end this global tragedy”.