US rushes Covid-19 supplies worth $100 million for India
WASHINGTON/NEW DELHI: The US is rushing supplies worth more than $100 million, including oxygen generation systems and raw materials for vaccines, to back India’s Covid-19 response in the face of a devastating second wave of infections.
The first emergency relief shipment, which is expected to arrive on a military transport aircraft from Travis Air Force Base, will include 440 oxygen cylinders and regulators donated by the state of California. The flight will also carry 960,000 rapid diagnostic tests and 100,000 N95 masks provided by USAID. The aid is being provided in line with a pledge made by President Joe Biden during a phone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 26. Several more flights carrying more equipment and
supplies are expected this week.
The US relief supplies will start flowing in shortly after support packages from Russia and member states of the European Union (EU), part of a global effort to help India cope with record-breaking infections.
“...we’re committed to use
every resource at our disposal, within our authority, to support India’s frontline healthcare workers,” US defense secretary Lloyd Austin tweeted on Thursday.
The support package will also include raw materials for making the Covishield vaccine.
THE FIRST RELIEF SHIPMENT INCLUDE 440 O2 CYLINDERS AND REGULATORS; THE FLIGHT WILL ALSO CARRY ONE LAKH N95 MASKS
WASHINGTON/NEW DELHI: The US is rushing supplies worth more than $100 million, including oxygen generation systems and raw materials for vaccines, to back India’s Covid-19 response in the face of a devastating second wave of infections.
The first emergency relief shipment, which is expected to arrive on a military transport aircraft from Travis Air Force Base, will include 440 oxygen cylinders and regulators donated by the state of California. The flight will also carry 960,000 rapid diagnostic tests and 100,000 N95 masks provided by USAID. The aid is being provided in line with a pledge made by President Joe Biden during a phone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 26. Several more flights carrying more equipment and supplies are expected this week.
The US relief supplies will start flowing in shortly after support packages from Russia and member states of the European Union (EU), part of a global effort to help India cope with record-breaking infections that have surged past the 300,000mark over the past few days. The support will also help address a severe shortage of oxygen, which has been blamed for many deaths in recent days.
“Thanks to @US_TRANSCOM, @AirMobilityCmd, @Travis60AMW & @DLAmil for hustling to prepare critical @USAID medical supplies for shipping. As I’ve said, we’re committed to use every resource at our disposal, within our authority, to support India’s frontline healthcare workers,” US defense secretary Lloyd Austin tweeted on Thursday.
“Just as India sent assistance to the United States when our hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, the United States is determined to help India in its time of need,” said a statement from the White House.
The Indian help included a large consignment of hydroxychloroquine. India cleared it for export despite a ban in response to a request from then-President Donald Trump. The antimalarial drug was then being deployed for unproven prophylactic and therapeutic uses. The emergency aid coming from the US this week will include an initial delivery of 1,100 oxygen cylinders that will remain in India, 1,700 oxygen concentrators to obtain oxygen from ambient air, multiple large-scale oxygen generation units to support up to 20 patients each, and additional mobile units to target specific shortages.