COVID Mayhem: Countries across globe come to India's rescue

As India is facing a huge crisis dealing with the continuing coronavirus crisis, several countries including the US, Pakistan, Germany, Saudi Arabia and Canada have come forward to provide aid.

New Delhi: India’s sinking health care sector has caught global attention as the country continues to grapple with the second wave of coronavirus pandemic. Several Countries have come forward to help India with all possible means. India is in dire need of oxygen and vaccine. Apart from these, PPE kits, medicines, masks etc are also being offered by the global community.

The world is watching how India is battling the covid crisis and that the pandemic is still looming large claiming thousands of lives every day. Deaths, lack of ambulance, severe shortage of oxygen has grabbed the headline internationally. India’s global image has indeed become a matter of concern.

Countries are ramping up efforts to assist India as the country reels under acute shortage of not only hospital beds and medicines but a massive shortage of oxygen are posing a great threat and risk to the country and its people during this second wave of the pandemic. Many countries have been sending liquid oxygen, containers and tanks to store and transport oxygen.

Singapore

It is pertinent to note that the first batch of high- capacity oxygen containers that landed in India was from Singapore. Besides that Temasek, an investment company in Singapore in collaboration with Air India has sent non-invasive BiPAP ventilator machines, 250 oxygen concentrators and other essential medical supplies to India.

“500 BiPAPs, 250 oxygen concentrators and other medical supplies from Singapore landed in Mumbai last night on @airindiain flight!,” said Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri in a tweet.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia on the other hand has shown immense support to India. The country is providing liquid oxygen and oxygen cylinders. In addition to ISO cryogenic tanks, India’s Adani group is also securing from Linde Saudi Arabia another 5,000 medical-grade oxygen cylinders, which will be sent soon. Moreover, earlier today, India has received another 12 ready-to-use cryogenic tanks to transport liquid oxygen from Dubai.

Chairman of Adani Group Gautam Adani said in a tweet, “Thank you Dubai. Thank you @IAF_MCC. We have secured another ready-to-use cryogenic tank to transport liquid oxygen from Dubai. The Indian Air Force is airlifting 6 of these tanks today to India (sic)”.

“Embassy of India is proud to partner with Adani group and M/s Linde in shipping much needed 80MT liquid oxygen to India. Our heartfelt thanks to the Ministry of Health Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for all their support, help and cooperation".

Facilitated by the Adani Group in collaboration with M/s Linde, the first shipment of 4 ISO cryogenic tanks with 80 tons of liquid oxygen is yet to arrive from Dammam to Mundra.

UK

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has decided to send medical equipment to India and stand in support of the nation. As many as 600 pieces of medical equipment will be shipped by London to New Delhi, which is expected to reach on Tuesday.

British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis said, “ We are supporting our Indian friends with medical equipment to help them in the battle against Coronavirus. We will win this fight together”.

The United States of America

Most interestingly, after many requests by the Indian government and amid the outrage that the US is moving back from its commitment to providing medical supplies to India, the United States under the Biden Presidency on Sunday finally decided to send raw materials and other medical supplies to India to help in its fight against the Covid crisis.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke to India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. “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”, says NSA Sullivan.

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.

Germany

Germany has also reached out to India and 23 mobile oxygen generation plants are to be airlifted from Germany for use in Armed Forces Medical Service hospitals with Covid patients. These oxygen generation plants are to arrive in India within a week.

Germany has assured full support to India at this time of crisis and has been intensifying efforts to help the country with Remdesivir, ventilators and other medical aids.

Canada

The Canadian government have also come out in support of India with an offer to provide PPE Kits, ventilators and other medical aids.

“Our thoughts are with the people of India as they face a devastating new wave of the COVID-29 pandemic. Canada stands ready to assist and has reached out to India authorities to determine how Canada can best support India in its time of need”, former Canadian Foreign Minister Marc Garneau said in a tweet.

Canada has expressed its willingness to assist India during this hour of crisis.

Pakistan

Pakistan has also offered help to India and has been pressing for the supply of ventilators and other medical equipment. India and Pakistan are not on good terms. The relationship turned sour ever since India decided to revoke Article 370 in J&K.

But keeping aside all the differences, Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan joined hands with the International community to support India as it continues to fight the battle against the pandemic.

“As a gesture of solidarity with the people of India in the wake of the current wave of Covid 19, Pakistan has offered to provide relief to India including ventilators, Bi-PAP, digital X-Ray machines, PPE’s and related items,” Khan said in a tweet.

Hong Kong

As many as 800 oxygen concentrators have been airlifted from Hong Kong to India and 10,000 more will be dispatched in a week. Hong Kong has been a stern supporter of India at this time of crisis.

“India’s private carriers are strengthening our efforts against the pandemic @flyspicejet airlifts 800 oxygen concentrators from Hong Kong to India”, Civil Aviation Minister had said in a tweet.

China

Meanwhile, China has been showing interest to lend support to India but there has been no response from the Indian side on China’s offer.

On Monday, Hua Chunying, the spokesperson of China, and the director of the Foreign Ministry Information Department of China tweeted, “We are concerned about the grave situation in #India. We are ready to be of help if India tells us its specific needs”.

Last week, China was seen criticizing the United States for stepping back from helping India during the crisis. China’s mouthpiece Global times said that countries like India should be aware that they are pawns to the US, which has attached special importance to India’s strategic value as leverage to suppress China.

"But when it comes to supporting practical moves, the US has stepped back," an excerpt from an op-ed published in Global Times read.

A report by senior correspondent Chandrakala Choudhury