Amid the second wave of COVID-19, more than 40 lakh distinct things have been received in the kind of help from foreign nations. These have been distributed to 38 institutions and hospitals, which are largely run by the Central government in 31 States and Union Territories. This is the 1st in 17 years that the government has decided to accept foreign help.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs Emergency help in the kind of Oxygen continues to come in from many nations. As has been reported by the TheSpuzz Online, the 1st shipment of 7 tankers with 20 metric ton Liquid Medical Oxygen have currently reached the Mundra port in Gujarat from United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Also, the IAF Transport Aircraft has ferried 450 oxygen cylinders to Chennai from the UK. Medical gear, 545 oxygen concentrators, and medicines have arrived from the US.
A shipment from Kuwait arrived in India with 282 oxygen cylinders, 60 oxygen concentrators, ventilators and other health-related supplies.
What things are coming in?
There are 24 distinct categories of things that have been coming from foreign nations and these are: O2 Concentrators, BiPAP machines, O2 Cylinders, PSA Oxygen plants, pulse oximeters, PPE coveralls, N-95 masks and gowns. And drugs such as: Flaviparivir and Remdesivir.
As has been reported earlier in TheSpuzz Online, the Ministry of External Affairs is the nodal agency which is searching at the delivers made by foreign nations and is coordinating with all the Missions and Posts overseas. And, the MEA has its personal set of SOPs which are applicable across the board.
Indian Red Cross Society
All the help that is arriving in India coming as donations from foreign nations is received by the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS).
A cell was designed on April 26, 2021, beneath Addl. Secretary [Health], MoHFW and is going to coordinate the receipt and allocation of foreign COVID relief material as grants, help and donations. There are officials from connected ministries such as the MEA. They meet every day practically and sort out all pending difficulties.
There is also a higher level committee beneath CEO, NITI Aayog, which has Secretary Expenditure, MEA and officials of Niti Aayog and MoHFW and they oversee the complete operation.
For quicker customs and regulatory clearances at the airports, IRCS difficulties the required certificates straight away to HLL Lifecare Limited (HLL), which is the customs agent for IRCS, and is also the distribution manager for MoHFW.
IRCS also assists in making certain liaison with MoHFW and HLL. This is completed to make sure there are no delays and there are swift turnarounds.
Distribution of the help received
According to a detailed statement issued by the Health Ministry, the allocations are completed maintaining in thoughts equitable distribution and the load on tertiary overall health care facilities. Besides, the Central Government Hospitals, such as Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) facilities in and about Delhi and in the NCR area are also supplemented by way of the help.
Out of the eight hospitals in Delhi, six that received the help sent from foreign nations are run by the Central government. And these are: All India Institute of Medical Sciences, DRDO, National Institute of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases, The Lady Hardinge Medical College, Safdarjung Hospital, and Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.
In addition, two other hospitals in Delhi and a hospital run by the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in Noida have also received such help.
The States and UTs are also in the procedure of getting the things which have arrived from overseas. These involve: Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Ladakh, Lakshadweep, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, D&N Haveli, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Odisha, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.