18 foreign O2 plants, 3.4 lakh Remdesivir dispatched to States

New Delhi: Global aid comprising 8,900 oxygen concentrators, 5,043 oxygen cylinders, 18 oxygen generation plants, 5,698 ventilators or BiPAP and more than 3.4 lakh Remdesivir vials have been delivered to States and UTs so far to strengthen their Covid-19 response.

Union Health Ministry on Tuesday said that the "central government is ensuring a streamlined and fast delivery of the global aid to states and the Union Territories (UTs) through faster custom clearances, and by use of air and road".

These medical supports were received from the global community in the last 14 days -- from April 27 to May 9.

The major items received on Sunday from the UK, South Korea, US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) include 2,267 oxygen concentrators, 10,000 oximeters, 200 cylinders and 1,000 Ventilators or BiPAP or CPAP.

The Ministry said the union government is ensuring that the global aid is being expeditiously delivered to States and the UTs through fast custom clearances, and use of air and road.

A coordination cell has been created in the Union Health Ministry to coordinate the receipt and allocation of foreign Covid relief material. This cell started functioning from April 26, and Standard Operating Procedure has been framed and implemented by the Health Ministry since May 2, the Ministry said.

According to the Ministry, the Central government has designed a streamlined mechanism for effective allocation and prompt distribution of the supplies received by India. This will help to supplement the medical infrastructure of the tertiary care institutions and recipient states and UTs, and strengthen their clinical management of the hospitalised Covid-19 patients.

India has been receiving international aid of Covid-19 medical supplies and equipment since April 27 from different countries and organisations.