A number of UN agencies have collectively delivered nearly 10,000 oxygen concentrators, about 10 million (one crore) medical masks and 1.5 million face shields to India. The UN has also procured ventilators and oxygen-generating plants for the country.
The organisations which have contributed to the medical supplies for India include UNICEF, WHO and the UN Population Fund.
In a daily press briefing, Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, said that the UN team on the ground "continues to support the authorities – both nationally and locally – to tackle the pandemic".
Dujarric added that the UN team has delivered testing machines, kits and airport thermal scanners. The UN has also provided thousands of health specialists to support Indian efforts in curbing the pandemic. UNICEF and UNDP are also helping in monitoring more than 175,000 vaccination centres across India.
The furious resurgence of Covid-19 in India has worried the world.
UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said: "The tragic situation in India should raise alarm bells for all of us. Unless the world steps up and helps India now, there will be reverberations across the region and the world in terms of virus-related deaths, virus mutations and supply delays".
Also, the UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia, George Laryea-Adjei has said that urgent action and steadfast leadership are indispensable to stop the catastrophe.
UNICEF is trying to raise support to the tune of US $21 million for the delivery of additional testing equipment, supplies and oxygen products in India. Besides this, it is also seeking more than US $50 million for lifesaving Covid-19 interventions across sectors.
Currently, dozens of countries have stepped up support for India which is witnessing a rampaging second wave of the virus. The country reported its highest Covid-19 numbers with 4.14 lakh cases and over 3,900 deaths on Thursday.
