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Oxygen equipment, critical medicines focus of India’s efforts to obtain foreign support
Pharmaceutical giant Gilead has pledged 450,000 doses of Remdesivir and some 150,000 doses arrived on Wednesday; while efforts are still on to acquire about 400,000 doses from Egypt.
Oxygen-related equipment, especially large plants that can meet the oxygen needs of hospitals, and medicines such as Remdesivir continue to be the focus of India’s efforts to obtain support for its response to the deadly second wave of Coronavirus infections.
Medium to large oxygen generation plants that can make hospitals autonomous and help address the severe shortage of oxygen at healthcare facilities in several cities will remain crucial even as the government transports oxygen to areas where it is needed most, including through the cryogenic tankers coming in from abroad.
Portable oxygen generators, ventilators and cylinders, all of which have been supplied in large numbers by several countries, have their uses but there is a need for more large oxygen generation plants despite the difficulties associated with their transportation, installation and operationalisation, people familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity on Wednesday.
So far, Italy has supplied one such plant and France eight more. One large plant is coming in from Germany and the US and the UK have pledged several more. Some of the French plants have already been installed at hospitals in New Delhi and have become operational.
While critical medicines such as Remdesivir, Tocilizumab and Favipiravir are being sourced from abroad, efforts are also on to expand their production in the country though this process is being hampered by lack of adequate raw materials, the people said. Pharmaceutical giant Gilead has pledged 450,000 doses of Remdesivir and some 150,000 doses arrived on Wednesday; while efforts are still on to acquire about 400,000 doses from Egypt, the people said.
Meanwhile, support for India’s Covid-19 response has continued to pour in from around the world. On Wednesday, Israel airlifted the first consignment of oxygen generators and concentrators to India to conveying a message of solidarity. More flights will come in from Israel this week, carrying thousands of group and individual oxygen generators, respirators, medications and additional equipment.
Israeli ambassador Ron Malka said, “In this hour of need, our two democracies stand solidly side by side. The state of Israel is happy to lend a helping hand to our friend India in this complicated and difficult time.”
The European Union (EU) announced on Wednesday it will allocate an initial 2.2 million euros in emergency funding to respond to the drastic surge in infections in India. This funding will support the World Health Organization (WHO) for a six-month case management of Covid-19 patients and strengthen laboratory capacity for testing.
The Central government said in a statement that between April 27 and May 4, India had received 1,764 oxygen concentrators, 1,760 oxygen cylinders, 450 ventilators, more than 135,000 Remdesivir vials, and 120,000 Favipiravir strips.
“All items received up to 4th May, 2021 are allocated to the states/institutions and substantial part of it stands delivered. This is an ongoing exercise,” the statement said, without giving details of the state-wise allocations.
