COVID-19: UK set to dispatch round 4 of medical aid to India; 1000 ventilators en route

Amid solidarity outpouring from across the globe, United Kingdom announced to have arranged 1,000 more medical ventilators for COVID-19 hospitals. Britain has established their determination in lending unceasing aid for India during these harrowing times. Prior to this, the UK government has delivered three rounds of medical supplies and life-saving drugs. 

As per UK PM's office statement, they have arranged to dispatch a round of 1000 more ventilators.

This was established by UK Secretary of State for Health & Social Care, Matt Hancock, "This additional support will provide more capacity and expertise to help save lives and support India’s healthcare system. We will continue to work closely with the Indian government during this immensely challenging time."

UK State Health Secretary was empathetic towards the grim situation in India. 

On Tuesday, May 4, UK PM Boris Johnson and PM Modi are scheduled to hold a virtual meeting to discuss deepening cooperation and ties between two countries. In a powerful demonstration over the last week, the British have come to the support of India in huge numbers. Businesses, civil society, and the wider public have responded to appeals for help and launched funding drives. This includes the British Asian Trust’s ‘Oxygen for India’ emergency appeal, which is raising funds for oxygen concentrators to be rapidly deployed to Indian hospitals. The BAT appeal, which has been personally backed by the Prince of Wales, has raised more than £1.5m in the last week, as per UK PMO's statement. 

PM Boris Johnson ascertained that 'the UK would always be there for India'. He also said, 

"The terrible images we have seen in India in recent weeks are all the more powerful because of the close and enduring connection between the people of the UK and India. I am deeply moved by the surge of support the British people have provided to the people of India and am pleased the UK Government has been able to play our part in providing life-saving assistance."

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab affirmed their status in providing support to India. He reiterated the desire to assist on Twitter. He established, 

The UK government had earlier stated - oxygen concentrators delivered to India and the quota in transit can extract oxygen from the air in the atmosphere so that it can be provided to COVID-19 patients. This takes the strain off hospital oxygen systems, thus, a smooth inflow of oxygen in situations where hospital oxygen supplies have conked off. 

The first round of consignment from the UK had arrived in Delhi during the early hours of April 29. The said consignment constituted of 95 Oxygen Concentrators and 100 Ventilators. The second round of consignment contained 120 Oxygen Concentrators while the third series of dispatchment consisted of 280 oxygen concentrators, 40 ventilators.

Amid raging COVID-19 figures, media reports, and gutting images of collapsing medical infrastructure, many countries have poured in their solidarity with India. Previously, Romania on behalf of European Union, United Kingdom, United States, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UAE, South Korea, Bhutan amongst few others have come forward to provide assistance to India in procuring tonnes of liquid medical oxygen, transporting mobile oxygen plants, drugs, and vaccines against destructive COVID-19 second-wave and other essential medical supplies and support. This would ensure requisite oxygen across medical facilities which have outstretched their capacity. COVID-19 patients in India who are admitted at hospitals have succumbed to the virus due to a shortage of oxygen supply.