18,040 oxygen concentrators, 7.7 lakh remdesivir vials received as foreign aid sent to states
In total, 18,040 oxygen concentrators, 19,085 oxygen cylinders and nearly 7.7 lakh remdesivir vials received as aid from abroad have been delivered or dispatched to states and Union Territories from April 27 to May 28 amid the second wave of COVID-19 infection, the Union Health Ministry said on Saturday.
The Government of India has been receiving COVID-19 relief in form of medical supplies and equipment since April 27 from different countries and organisations. These are being promptly dispatched and delivered to the states and UTs, it said.
Cumulatively, 18,040 oxygen concentrators, 19,085 oxygen cylinders, 19 oxygen generation plants, 15,256 ventilators and BiPAP, around 7.7 lakh remdesivir vials and nearly 12 lakh favipiravir tablets have been delivered and dispatched through road and air from April 27 to May 28.
Major consignments received on May 26 and 28 from Turkey, Indian Business Association (Taiwan), Roche (Switzerland) and Eli Lily include 20 oxygen concentrators, five oxygen concentrator plants, 680 oxygen cylinders, 50,000 tocilizumab, 20,000 Baricitinib, 50 ventilators, Bi-PAP and CPAP.
The ministry said this also includes 680 oxygen cylinders received from Turkey, which have some compliance issues, hence they have been withheld at a warehouse.
Effective immediate allocation, and streamlined delivery to the recipient states and UTs and institutions is an ongoing exercise, the ministry said, adding it is comprehensively monitoring this on a regular basis.
A dedicated cell has been created in the Union Health Ministry to coordinate the receipt and allocation of foreign Covid relief material as international cooperation in the form of grants, aid and donations. This cell started functioning from April 26.
A standard operating procedure for this has been framed and implemented by the Health Ministry since May 2.
