Over 40 govts commit to help India with essentials

NEW DELHI: As India battles, an unprecedented second wave of Covid, over 40 governments have committed to helping out India with essential medical requirements.Foreign minister S. Jaishankar held a briefing with all heads of missions across the world to brief them on the current crisis. His message was first, India is battling a Covid surge that is unprecedented in its ferocity, with a UK variant and a double mutant adding to the virus’ virulence.Envoys have been tasked with acquiring all manner of oxygen support — no tanker, concentrator or cylinder is too small at a time like this. Given India’s size, India needs everything it can lay its hands on. At this point, India’s top asks are — medical oxygen, Remdesivir and Tocilizumab to treat moderate to severe Covid. 82322189India, he told them, is reaping the benefits of both the Vaccine Maitri initiative as well as the Covid assistance proffered to many countries when they battled their own surges. That spirit of cooperation needed to be maintained. It would be the only way India would be assured of help at a time when the ruling global sentiment seemed to be ‘each-on-their-own'.Third, envoys did not have to battle negative perceptions and opinions in media in their host countries. This would distract them from their primary job, which is to access and procure as much medical assistance as is possible at this time. This instruction came after what is seen as an unnecessary rejoinder by the Indian high commission against an article in The Australian.The sense of urgency, he told them, had to be maintained, because the current need is a short-term one, to fill in the gap while India ramps up its own capacities.Briefing journalists on Thursday, foreign secretary Harsh Shringla said the government had already made a quick assessment of India’s requirements, which were being conveyed to countries who had expressed interest in helping out. The consultations, he said, had been happening at the highest levels.“Our objective is to channelise all of this assistance that is both sought by us and being received in a manner that is as effective as possible.”At the operational level, he said, the Empowered Group 2 was engaged in identifying sources of equipment that India needed, clearing their passage into the country and arranging for their dispatch to the parts of the country where they are needed.Shringla said, “We have prioritised certain areas, I think liquid oxygen is one of them, as well as any equipment that produces oxygen. We also need some pharmaceutical products like Remdesivir and tocilizumab.” Indian companies, he said, produce some 67000 units of Remdesivir a day, but the current demand is for almost 3 lakhs.The assistance is coming at several levels — governments, private sector entities, and individuals like diaspora groups. Shringla said large Indian companies, part of the global supply chains were sourcing equipment and oxygen as well. “We trying to channelise the assistance we’re getting, getting them to different parts of the country.” He said the government has also given these imports blanket exemption from certain taxes. Shringla said, “International cooperation is an vital part of bridging and meeting our requirements.”Gilead Sciences, he said, has promised 4.5 lakh doses of Remdesivir, currently being manufactured in Bangladesh, Uzbekistan and UAE. “We’re hoping to get some supplies from them to bridge this short term gap,” Shringla said.The Indian Red Cross has been designated as the organisation receiving these items as they come in from different parts of the world.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/3t4W9TO