EU announces €2.2 million funding to support India's fight against COVID-19 crisis

The European Union on Wednesday announced an initial emergency funding of €2.2 million (approx Rs 19 crore) to support the World Health Organisation's relief measures to help India tackle the present COVID-19 crisis. The funding announced by the European Commission is in addition to the medical assistance being provided to India by members of the Union.

"Today, the Commission has announced that it will allocate an initial €2.2 million in emergency funding to respond to the drastic surge in COVID-19 cases in India. The funding will support the WHO for 6-month case management of COVID-19 patients, as well as strengthening laboratory capacity for COVID-19 testing," the EU said.

Several EU member states have announced emergency medical support to India as its fights a devastating second wave of the pandemic that has put immense strain on the country’s health infrastructure.

EU sends medical assistance to India

"We are providing additional EU support towards the fight against COVID-19 in India. This comes on top of the generous and swift assistance from EU member states that stepped up as part of Team Europe to offer critical supplies of oxygen, ventilators and medicines over the last few days," said EU's Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic.

"We stand ready to work with the WHO and other partners on the ground to jointly fight this battle at this difficult time - we are stronger together," the official said.

The EU member states which have already mobilised supplies of medical oxygen, ventilators and medicines to India amid growing shortages are - Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg and Netherlands. Portugal, Romania, Spain and Sweden. are also among the countries providing medical aid to India. 

(With inputs from agency)