After supplying Hydroxychloroquine, Remdesivir and COVID-19 vaccines to the rest of the world for the past one year, the government has now called in requests for assistance from other nations.
The crippling shortage of oxygen nationwide is being met by humanitarian assistance from other nations in the form of oxygen generation systems, distribution equipment such as cryogenic tankers, industrial and personal oxygen cylinders and concentrators.
As the daily cases remain above the 3-lakh-mark for the past 2 weeks, India continues to coordinate with other nations to receive crucial medical supplies. It is the first time in 16 years that India is accepting international aid.
United States
Initially: 300 oxygen concentrators, 1,100 oxygen cylinders
30 April: 440 oxygen cylinders and regulators, 960,000 Rapid Diagnostic Tests and 100,000 N95 masks
2 May: 9 lakh masks, 125,000 vials of Remdesivir
4 May : 545 oxygen concentrators
5 May : 81,000 vials of Remdesivir
Total till now: 1,540 oxygen cylinders, 9 lakh masks, 206,000 vials of Ramdesivir
Yet to come: 900+ oxygen concentrators, multiple large-scale oxygen generation units to support up to 20 patients each
United Kingdom
27 April: 95 oxygen concentrators, 100 ventilators
29 April: 120 oxygen concentrators
30 April: 280 oxygen concentrators, 60 ventilators
3 May: 723 oxygen concentrators, 60 ventilators, 5 lakh antiviral face coverings
4 May: 900 cylinders of 46-litre capacity, 20 liquid oxygen bottle
Total: 2,008 oxygen concentrators, 220 ventilators, 900 cylinders of 46-lakh capacity
Yet to come: 3 large oxygen generation units, each capable of producing 500 litres of oxygen per minute, enough for 50 people to use at a time, and 1,000 UCL ventura oxygen concentrators
Russia
29 April: Oxygen concentrators, lung ventilation equipment, bedside monitors, medicines, including Coronavir, and other essential pharmaceutical items totalling 20 tonnes
5 May: 20 oxygen concentrators, 75 ventilators, 150 bedside monitors and medicines totalling 22 tonnes
Total till now: 20+ oxygen concentrators, 75+ ventilators, 150+ bedside monitors, medicines
Australia
Yet to come: 1,056 ventilators and 43 oxygen concentrators
European Union
After a call for support from India, the European Union has invoked the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, which is coordinating between member-nations to send aid to India.
Ireland
29 April: 700 oxygen concentrators, 365 ventilators
4 May: 548 oxygen concentrators, 365 ventilators, 2 oxygen generators, and other medical equipment
Total: 1,248 oxygen concentrators, 730 ventilators, 2 oxygen generators & other medical equipment
France
2 May: 8 hospital-level oxygen generators, each providing year-long oxygen for 250 beds, liquid oxygen for 2,000 patients for five days, 28 ventilators and equipment for ICUs, making up 28 tonnes
Germany
1 May: 120 ventilators
Yet to come: Two flights carrying a massive high-capacity oxygen production plant, set to reportedly produce 4 lakh litres of oxygen daily, and 500 more ventilators from various German states.
Romania
30 April: 80 oxygen concentrators and 75 oxygen cylinders
Italy
3 May: 1 oxygen production plant capable of supplying an entire hospital, 20 ventilators
Belgium
2 May: 9,000 vials of Remdesivir
Yet to come from other EU nations: 58 ventilators from Luxembourg, 5,500 vials of Remdesivir and 20,000 litres of oxygen per week from Portugal and 120 ventilators from Sweden.
Uzbekistan:
2 May: 151 oxygen concentrators
Singapore
28 April: 256 oxygen cylinders of 47-litre capacity each
Thailand
1 May: 15 oxygen concentrators from the government, 15 from Indian community
South Korea
Yet to come : Oxygen concentrators, COVID-19 diagnostic kits and other items.
Japan
Yet to come: 300 oxygen concentrators, 300 ventilators
Mauritius
28 April: 200 oxygen concentrators
UAE
29 April: 157 ventilators, 480 breathing machines and other medical supplies
4 May: 7 cryogenic tankers filled with a total of 140 MTs of liquid medical oxygen
Bahrain
May: 2 cryogenic oxygen tankers with total 40 MT of liquid oxygen
Qatar
3 May: Ventilators, oxygen concentrators, personal protective equipment and other medical assistance worth 300 tonnes
Kuwait
4 May: 282 oxygen cylinders, 60 oxygen concentrators, ventilators and other medical supplies
5 May: INS Kolkata leaves Kuwait, carrying 40 MT of liquid medical oxygen, 500 oxygen cylinders and 4 oxygen concentrators
Bangladesh
Yet to come: An estimated 10,000 vials of injectable anti-viral, oral anti-viral medicines, 30,000 PPE kits, and several thousand zinc, calcium, Vitamin C and other tablets.
Bhutan
Yet to come: 40 MTs of liquid oxygen to Assam from a new plant being set up in the country’s Samdrup Jongkhar district.
Where are they headed?
The government does not give out daily data on where exactly the relief items are being sent and in how much quantity. But it has said that items have been distributed to all but 7 states or union territories. As of May 4, those which are yet to receive some supplies are Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar islands, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.
The Centre has said this is mostly due to the longer transit time from the main airports in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore or seaport of Chennai or Mundhra, where most of the consignments are reaching.
The health ministry has clarified that 24 categories of items, numbering nearly 40 lakhs, have been distributed to 38 institutions in different states. The following institutions (region-wise) have received the equipment as of May 4.
Delhi NCR
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
Find the best of Al News in one place, specially curated for you every weekend.
Stay on top of the latest tech trends and biggest startup news.
