US to deliver COVID-19 aid worth $100 million to India, first flight to land today
The shipment includes 440 oxygen cylinders and regulators, generously donated by the state of California, USAID said.
FollowThe US has dispatched its first batch of Covid-19 relief materials to India, including oxygen cylinders and regulators, Rapid Diagnostic Test kits and N95 masks. The White House has said the US would be sending supplies worth more than $100 million to India and "meet the urgent health needs of the Indian people".
The flight took off from the Travis Air Force Base on the world's largest military aircraft on Wednesday night, the US Agency for International Development said.
The shipment includes 440 oxygen cylinders and regulators, generously donated by the state of California, USAID said.
According to the White House, an initial delivery of 1,100 cylinders will remain in India and can be repeatedly refilled at local supply centres, with planeloads more to come.
In addition, on this first flight, USAID is sending 960,000 Rapid Diagnostic Tests to identify infections early to help prevent the community spread of Covid-19, and 100,000 N95 masks to protect India's frontline healthcare heroes, it added.
The Joe Biden administration has also redirected its own order of AstraZeneca manufacturing supplies to India, which will allow it to make over 20 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also locally procured oxygen cylinders and will deliver them to support hospital systems in India.
The US is also providing the first tranche of a planned 20,000 treatment courses of the anti-viral drug Remdesivir to help treat hospitalised Covid-19 patients.
"The United States has stood shoulder to shoulder with the people of India for more than 70 years, and will continue to fight the Covid-19 pandemic together," said the statement.
"Just as India sent assistance to the United States when US hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, the United States is now helping India during its time of need," it further said.
NOTE: Asianet News humbly requests everyone to wear masks, sanitize, maintain social distancing and get vaccinated as soon as eligible. Together we can and will break the chain #ANCares #IndiaFightsCorona
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