OTTAWA: Canada is sending up to 25,000 vials of the antiviral remdesivir (brand name Veklury) and up to 350 ventilators from its National Emergency Strategic Stockpile to help respond to the critical situation across India.
The CCOVID-19 pandemic has surged in India with record number of cases and huge mortality rates being reported from many states of India.
Hospitals have been overwhelmed and there are severe shortages of medical supplies and oxygen as serious patients gasp for breath. Marc Garneau, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence, Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health, and tKarina Gould, Minister of International Development, announced the emergency assistance to India.
The government is also providing support through UNICEF’s response to the pandemic in India with the urgent provision of 1,450 oxygen concentrators.
The funds for these operations come partly from the $230-million contribution to the therapeutics pillar of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, announced in December 2020.
This support is in addition to Canada’s $10-million support to the Canadian Red Cross Society, which is supporting the Indian Red Cross Society’s procurement of essential supplies and medicines.
The Canadian Armed Forces deployed a CC-150 Polaris aircraft from 8 Wing / Canadian Forces Base Trenton to deliver the vials of the antiviral remdesivir (brand name Veklury) and 50 ventilators to India at this time.
Marc Garneau said: “Canada continues to stand in solidarity with the people of India. We must all unite in this hour of need and work together in the global fight against this virus that is devastating lives across the globe.”
Harjit Sajjan said: “We are better off with each other’s help. That’s why the Canadian Armed Forces will support and transfer supplies to our friends in India to help defeat COVID-19.”
TORONTO: Ontario is donating 3,000 ventilators to the Indian Red Cross. Premier Doug Ford said that the Ontario government will also help coordinate the transportation of approved medical equipment that is being put together for the Indian Red Cross by the Indian diaspora and friends of India in Ontario.
The made-in-Ontario e700 Transport ventilators will make a difference in supporting those in India. Thank you to the Premier and the people of Ontario for acknowledging this great need and for taking action,” said Nina Tangri, Member of Provincial Parliament for Mississauga Streetsville.
The World Health Organization said there were 382,315 new confirmed cases and 3,780 deaths reported in the last 24 hours — although experts say the numbers could be higher because of poor reporting from the vast rural hinterland of India.
REGINA: Saskatchewan is sending 100 ventilators to India. The Moe government said in a press statement that said it is sending 30 critical care and 70 subacute ventilators to India,.
“Our thoughts go out to India,” said Premier Scott Moe on Monday. “We have a very strong relationship with India. We have many people from India who have chosen to make Saskatchewan their home.”
WASHINGTON: The US has rushed tons of material, including life-saving drugs and machinery, that India needs to fight the massive surge in COVID-19 cases, President Joe Biden said, in Washington. He recalled New Delhi’s assistance to America when it was in a “bind” due to the pandemic.
On Thursday, a Super Galaxy military transporter with 400 oxygen cylinders and other equipment and nearly one million rapid coronavirus tests landed at New Delhi’s international airport.
“The United States is delivering supplies worth more than $100 million in the coming days
to provide urgent relief to our partners in India,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said Thursday.
TOKYO: Japan has despatched 300 oxygen concentrators and 300 ventilators to India. Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Thursday that more than 40 countries have committed to sending vital medical aid The supplies include almost 550 oxygen-generating plants, more than 4,000 oxygen concentrators, 10,000 oxygen cylinders as well as 17 cryogenic tankers.