UN companies procuring 7,000 oxygen concentrators, COVID-19 testing machines, PPEs for India: UN spokesperson

The UN workforce in India is supporting the nation’s authorities to reply to the COVID-19 pandemic by offering vital provides and its companies are procuring 1000’s of oxygen concentrators, oxygen producing crops and different important gear in addition to serving to arrange cellular hospital items, a spokesperson for the UN chief stated.
“I know you’ve been asking about our support to India during the current surge in COVID-19 cases,” Deputy Spokesman for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Farhan Haq informed reporters on the day by day press briefing on Wednesday.
“Our team there, led by Resident Coordinator Renata Lok Dessallien, is supporting the authorities’ response to the pandemic by providing equipment and supplies, including to local governments,” Haq stated.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) are procuring gear and provides, together with 7,000 oxygen concentrators and 500 nasal gadgets for oxygen provide, in addition to oxygen producing crops, COVID-19 testing machines, and private protecting kits, he stated.
Haq’s remark comes a day after he stated, in response to a query, that the UN had supplied the help of its built-in provide chain if it was required however the supply was declined by India.
“We’ve been told at this point that it’s not needed because India has a reasonably robust system to deal with this. But our offer stands, and we’re willing to help in whatever way we can,” Haq had stated Tuesday.
Haq stated WHO can be serving to to arrange cellular hospital items and is offering for laboratories.
About 2,600 WHO area officers have been instantly deployed to help well being authorities to curb the unfold of the pandemic.
In Maharashtra, UNICEF has engaged specialists to work on danger governance. The UN workforce can be persevering with its marketing campaign highlighting the “three Ws: Wear a mask, Wash your Hands, Watch your distance and stay six feet apart,” he stated.
According to the newest WHO figures, the loss of life toll in India crossed 201,000 and confirmed circumstances within the nation stand at practically 18 million.
“In India’s time of need, the UN is doing everything it can to rapidly provide critical equipment and supplies to central and state governments,” Dessallien stated.
The WHO stated in a press launch that filling vital gaps in important medical provides and hospital capacities must be the highest precedence as India battles surge in COVID-19 circumstances. WHO is chartering flights to usher in 4,000 oxygen concentrators to assist meet the elevated calls for.
“The current rapid surge of COVID-19 cases has put immense pressure on the health systems, already overburdened since the start of the pandemic. We need to act with speed, expand hospital capacities and equip them with medical supplies, most needed to save lives,” Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia Region, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh stated.
A UN News article stated the South-East Asian area has led the world in COVID-19 infections for a 3rd straight week, primarily as a result of state of affairs in India.
In order to make obtainable further hospital beds and demanding gear for India, WHO is procuring cellular area hospitals with a capability of 20-30 beds, which could possibly be arrange in essentially the most affected areas.
The mattress capability at these area hospitals might be elevated to a most of fifty, if wanted, with out impacting an infection prevention and management protocols, and water and sanitation, the WHO launch added.
The company can be offering for laboratories to satisfy the massive demand for testing, and over 2600 WHO technical workers, engaged on varied programmes akin to polio, TB and NTD, have been repurposed to help pandemic response in India.
WHO is procuring laboratory provides, together with 1.2 million reagents, to satisfy the massive demand and wish for testing.
Khetrapal Singh added that with a speedy surge of circumstances, you will need to triage folks properly to optimize obtainable sources akin to ICU beds. Simultaneously, all efforts must be made to scale up COVID-19 vaccination protection, she added.
India this week accomplished a 100-day COVID-19 vaccination drive, with over 145 million doses administered.
“Irrespective of the numbers that we see today or the virus variants that may be circulating during the ongoing surge, our key public health measures – test, trace, isolate and treat – along with physical distancing, hand hygiene, cough etiquette and masks continue to be our tried and tested measures to curtail COVID-19 transmission,” she stated.
Underlining WHO’s dedication to proceed working with well being authorities in any respect ranges, Khetrapal Singh stated “Together we must do all we can to halt the current COVID-19 surge”.
Haq had stated that the UN is in contact with authorities in India at varied ranges. Chef de Cabinet to the United Nations Secretary-General Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti has been in contact with India’s Permanent Representative to the UN T S Tirumurti over the COVID-19 state of affairs in India and different officers within the system have additionally been in contact with officers each right here in New York and on the bottom.