World chips in: French oxygen plant at Apollo, US oximeters in Safdarjung
White House’s Covid-19 testing kits in New Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital; an Italian oxygen plant within the ITBP hospital in Greater Noida; a French oxygen plant at Indraprastha Apollo hospital in New Delhi; and Irish oxygen concentrators in PGI, Chandigarh.
Amid a rising Covid curve, as assist pours in from the worldwide neighborhood and as India departs from its 16-year-old coverage of not accepting international help, oxygen-related tools and life-saving medicines from overseas have began reaching hospitals in Delhi and past.
At least 14 international locations have already began sending their materials in plane and ships, and they’re being despatched out, principally to authorities hospitals.
According to sources, the provides are being despatched as per requirement spelt out by the Health Ministry.
From the US to Russia, Italy to Thailand, Germany to Ireland and France — international locations have been sending oxygen concentrators, some have been constructing oxygen crops, some are sending ventilators, whereas others are sending speedy testing kits, and important medicines.
Among the provides that went out:
* Pulse oximeters from the US have gone to Safdarjung Hospital. About 7 lakh speedy detection kits from the US — the type that’s utilized by the White House — have gone to Safdarjung, AIIMS Jhajjar, ICMR and Lady Hardinge Medical College. One massive oxygen plant from the US has arrived from California.
* 20 massive oxygen concentrators, 75 lung air flow tools and 150 bedside screens from Russia have gone to Lady Hardinge Medical College in New Delhi.
Out of two lakh flavipiravir (an oral antiviral drug) from Russia, 25,000 have been despatched to Safdarjung Hospital, 2,000 to LHMC, 30,000 to AIIMS Rishikesh, 40,000 to AIIMS Jodhpur, 10,000 to AIIMS Rai Bareilly, 30,000 to RML Hospital, 38,000 to AIIMS Delhi and 25,000 to AIIMS Jhajjar.
* Oxygen technology crops from France have gone to Dharamshila Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital,
Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in Delhi, Ambedkar Nagar Hospital in Delhi, and Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences. Sources stated one oxygen plant can maintain a 250-bed hospital, and has a life-cycle of 12 years.
* 30 oxygen concentrators from Thailand have gone to CGHS hospitals (15) and Safdarjang Hospital (15).
* 700 oxygen concentrators from Ireland have gone to AIIMS in varied states and PGI, Chandigarh.
* Oxygen plant from Italy is being arrange on the ITBP hospital in Greater Noida.
* 120 ventilators from Germany have been despatched to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital and AIIMS in New Delhi.
Sources stated these are simply a few of the materials which had been obtained from international governments since May 26.
German ambassador Walter J Lindner stated the 120 ventilators despatched to India are from the German authorities to the Government of India, however there are various extra which can be coming in by the non-public sector.
“The Tatas are importing 20 mobile oxygen tankers, and FICCI and German companies are bringing in 1,500 oxygen concentrators,” Lindner advised The Indian Express, including {that a} huge oxygen plant is being introduced in two A-400 planes for an Indian navy hospital that may cater to civilians in India.
Indian authorities sources stated the donor international locations are being advised concerning the beneficiaries of the help.
In the case of Italy and France, embassy officers and technical groups are working with native hospitals to organize the groundwork for establishing the oxygen crops.
French ambassador Emmanuel Lenain stated they’re establishing these oxygen crops in about 10 days. About 28 tonnes of kit had been introduced in plane, together with 28 ventilators. “We start working with the (beneficiary) hospitals (in India) to make sure that they have the proper capacity, where they could plug it, use it.”
For the Italian oxygen plant in Greater Noida, about 18 professionals — docs, technicians — have come to arrange the machine able to supplying a whole hospital. The plant, together with 20 lung respirators, had been introduced in by the Italian Air Force C-130.
Italian ambassador to India Vincenzo De Luca stated, “Italy stands with India in the fight against coronavirus. This is a global challenge that we must tackle together. The medical team and equipment provided by Italy will contribute to saving lives in these terrible moments.”
Officials stated the federal government has been receiving help from April 27 onwards — from the UK, Ireland, Romania, Russia, UAE, USA, Taiwan, Kuwait, France, Thailand, Germany, Uzbekistan, Belgium and Italy, amongst others.
Till May 4, the Health Ministry stated, India obtained 1,764 oxygen concentrators, 1,760 oxygen cylinders, seven oxygen technology crops, 450 ventilators and greater than 1.35 lakh remdesivir vials, amongst different issues
Sources stated the help is just not large, however is useful in assembly the “immediate needs” and is being despatched to the “high-burden states”.
On the collection of establishments for international help, sources stated the Health Ministry was making the allocations “keeping in mind equitable distribution and the load on tertiary healthcare facilities”.
A Health Ministry assertion on Wednesday stated {that a} cell underneath the Additional Secretary (Health) has been working within the ministry since April 26 to “coordinate the receipt and allocation of foreign COVID relief material as grants, aid and donations.”
“We want to use the aid properly, and as effectively as possible without wasting much time in official formalities,” a supply stated, including {that a} 9.30 am assembly between stakeholders takes place each day.
