WARSHIP CARRIES MEDICAL SUPPLIES TO LAKSHADWEEP

NEW DELHI: Pitching in to fight the Covid crisis that has overwhelmed the country’s health care set-up, an Indian warship on Sunday left Kochi with essential medical supplies to provide assistance to the Lakshadweep administration.

“As part of the nation’s fight against Covid, Indian Navy ships under Headquarters Southern Naval Command at Kochi are progressing with the mission of Oxygen Express in order to render support to the local administration of the Lakshadweep…ins Sharda, based at Kochi, undertook transfer of essential medical supplies to the capital Kavaratti,” Indian Navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said on Sunday.

The stores carried by INS Sharda consisted of 35 oxygen cylinders, Rapid Antigen Detection test (RADT) kits, personnel protective equipment (PPE) and other items to fight the pandemic. From Kavaratti, the ship continued with its mission to the Minicoy island for disembarkation of oxygen cylinders and medical supplies, Madhwal said.

“Additionally, 41 empty oxygen cylinders from the islands have been embarked onboard Indian Navy hired vessel Meghna. The vessel is now headed to Kochi for refilling of the empty cylinders and will head back to Lakshadweep with filled cylinders soon to ensure that the Oxygen Express continues unabated,” he added.

The navy has also reserved 10 beds for patients from Lakshadweep at INHS Sanjivani, Kochi, to cater to shortage of beds at the islands.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) continued to ferry empty oxygen containers to filling stations on Sunday.

“One C-17 aircraft airlifted two cryogenic oxygen tankers of 15000 litres capacity each from Gwalior air base to Ranch,” a defence ministry official said.