International aid to fight COVID continues to be quickly cleared, apportioned and sent to States and Union Territories

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 17th May. The Government of India, at the forefront to combat the ongoing COVID-19 has been receiving international cooperation of COVID-19 relief medical supplies and equipment since 27th April 2021 from different countries/organisations.
Through a streamlined and systematic mechanism, various Ministries/Departments of Government of India have seamlessly collaborated under the “Whole of Government” approach for expeditiously delivering the incoming global aid to States and UTs. More than 11,000 Oxygen Concentrators; nearly 16,000 Oxygen Cylinders; 19 Oxygen Generation Plants; more than 7,000 ventilators/Bi PAP, 5.5 L Remdesivir vials have been delivered/ dispatched so far.
Cumulatively, 11321 Oxygen Concentrators; 15,801 Oxygen Cylinders; 19 Oxygen Generation Plants; 7,470 ventilators/Bi PAP; ~5.5 L Remdesivir vials were delivered/ dispatched through road and air, from 27th April 2021 to 16th May 2021.
Major consignments received on 15/16th May 2021 from Australia, Romania, USA, Kazakhstan, UK, EU (Germany, Portugal, Slovenia), Qatar, Kuwait, ICBF (Qatar), British Oxygen Co. (UK), Medical Aid (UK) includes 263 oxygen concentrators, 105 Ventilator/Bi PAP/CBIPAP,2332 Oxygen cylinders, 30,753 Remdesivir vaccines and 20,000 Casirivimab/Imdevimab.
The government said that the effective immediate allocation and streamlined delivery to the recipient states/UTs and institutions is an ongoing exercise and the Union Health Ministry is comprehensively monitoring this on a regular basis. A dedicated Coordination 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 26th April 2021. A Standard Operating Procedure has been framed and implemented by the Health Ministry since 2nd May, 2021.