PremiumOn May 4 alone, the Indian government received 1,274 oxygen concentrators; 101 ventilators; 587 oxygen cylinders, 2 oxygen generation plants from foreign nations
The central government on Wednesday said it has allocated a total of 1,764 oxygen concentrators, 1,760 oxygen cylinders, and more than 1.5 lakh Remdesivir vials between April 27 and May 4 among all the Indian states.
Besides, the Centre has also allocated 450 ventilators, seven oxygen generation plants, and 1.20 lakh Favipiravir strips among the state governments, which it received as foreign aid amid the second wave of coronavirus pandemic.
Premium Premium On May 4 alone, the government received 1,274 oxygen concentrators; 101 ventilators; 587 oxygen cylinders, 2 oxygen generation plants, 1,53,708 Remdesivir, and 33 medical cabinets as foreign aid.
"India has been receiving international donations of Covid-19 relief medical supplies and equipment since April 27, 2021 from different countries including United Kingdom, Ireland, Romania, Russia, UAE, USA, Taiwan, Kuwait, France, Thailand, Germany, Uzbekistan, Belgium, Italy," the union health ministry said on Wednesday.
The central government said all items received by the foreign countries have been allocated to states and union territories on the basis of certain criteria like the number of active cases, case fatality rate, positivity rate.
The health ministry said that a dedicated 'Coordination Cell' has been created to coordinate receipt and allocation of foreign Covid-19 relief material as grants, aid, and donations.
"All these relief medical supplies and equipment are being allocated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in a timely manner to the 38 tertiary care institutions and 31 States, so far in the first tranche. This is done considering certain criteria like the number of active cases, case fatality rate, positivity rate, need, etc. This will help to supplement the medical infrastructure of these institutions and 31 States/UTs, and strengthen their clinical management capacities for prompt and effective clinical management of the hospitalised COVID19 patients," the health ministry said.
Separately, the health ministry said that India has become the fastest country in the world to administer 16 crore doses of the Covid-19 vaccine in 109 days. According to the ministry, "India has consumed 16.08 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses and 1.31 crore doses are still available".
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