From COVID-19 vaccines to oxygen, a look at how India helped SAARC countries during pandemic

Even as India grapples with the spread of the coronavirus disease internally, it has extended its assistance to neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal — all countries belonging to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). The unprecedented coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has united the SAARC countries as they adopted international travel bans, enforced strict lockdowns, announced special economic packages, set up a joint fund and banned all religious gatherings to battle the pandemic, earning them praise from the World Bank for their quick response. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 13 March proposed the formulation of a joint strategy by the SAARC nations to fight the coronavirus, a suggestion promptly backed by all member states, barring Pakistan. Calling on the SAARC members to set an example for the world, Modi reached out to the eight-member regional grouping and hosted a video conference among the leaders to chalk out a strong strategy to fight the coronavirus pandemic. From sending coronavirus vaccines, test kids to supplying oxygen, let’s take a look at how India assisted SAARC countries during the pandemic Nepal In a bid to help Nepal tackle the coronavirus pandemic, India on Thursday gifted a medical oxygen plant to the Himalayan nation. As per a press statement by the Indian embassy in Kathmandu, the medical oxygen plant has been installed at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences and is designed to cater to providing 5 Litres Per Minute (LPM) per person amounting to a total capacity of 960 LPM.

It thereby carries a capacity to serve 200 patients simultaneously.

“As part of India’s robust partnership with Nepal in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, Ambassador of India to Nepal, Vinay Mohan Kwatra handed over a 960 LPM Medical Oxygen Plant to Minister of State for Health, Umesh Shrestha at a ceremony organized at the Ministry of Health & Population on 26 August 2021,” the statement read. At the ceremony, the ambassador highlighted the significance of the deep-rooted and multifaceted partnership between India and Nepal and reiterated that this gift symbolised India’s continued commitment to Nepal in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, Shrestha mentioned that the donation of an oxygen plant as a critical health infrastructure that would reinforce Nepal’s efforts in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. He added that the assistance by the Indian government two decades ago in building BPKIHS in Dharan was an important milestone, and the addition of an oxygen plant today is another milestone that would go a long way in serving the people of Nepal particularly Provinces 1 and 2. The embassy said the Indian government will continue to stand with Nepal and its people in fighting the pandemic and providing necessary assistance as best possible in accordance with our deep-rooted bilateral ties. In May, India gifted medical supplies to Nepal to help it fight the coronavirus pandemic. India’s Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra handed over the Pathodetect COVID-19 Qualitative Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test kits manufactured in India to Nepal’s Minister for Health and Population Bhanubhakta Dhakal. The consignment, a gift from the people of India to the people of Nepal, enabled Nepal’s health professionals to conduct PCR tests on about 30,000 people, according to a statement by the Indian embassy. On 22 April, India gifted Nepal 23 tonnes of medicines. “Gifting of medicines and test kits manifests the continuing cooperation of our leaders and people of the two countries to prepare, act and fight together the common challenge of COVID-19 pandemic,” according to the statement. Bangladesh In January, 2021, India had sent over 20 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine as a gift to Bangladesh. The vaccines were provided to Bangladesh at a crucial time when the number of coronavirus cases in this country was rising. “India had stood by Bangladesh during the (1971) Liberation War, and today, when the pandemic is rattling the world, India again came with gifts of vaccines,” Bangladesh foreign minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said. A chartered Air India plane, carrying the Covishield vaccine landed at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on 21 January. Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami handed over the vaccines formally to Momen at a formal function. Momen said the vaccine supply is a gift of goodwill that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina have achieved through building strong partnership between the two neighbouring nations. In May 2021, India sent 30,000 COVID-19 test kits to Bangladesh as part of its emergency medical assistance to the neighbouring country An Indigo cargo flight transported the supply to be dispatched to Bangladesh’s Institute of Epidemiological Disease Control and Research (IEDCR). Dhaka received the first tranche of Indian emergency medical assistance containing 30,000 surgical masks and 15,000 caps on 25 March. The second Indian consignment consisted of 50,000 sterile surgical latex gloves and 1,00,000 Hydroxychloroquine medicine tablets. The Indian gesture came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi ensured his country’s readiness to help Bangladesh in containing the spread of COVID-19 and in mitigating the health and economic impact of the pandemic. Sri Lanka Sri Lanka has imported 100 metric tonnes of medical grade oxygen from India next week to meet the shortage of supply in hospitals. As of 25 August, 2021, in less than a week, New Delhi has provided 280 tonnes of oxygen to Sri Lanka. More oxygen will be delivered to Sri Lanka in the coming days and weeks, according to the Indian high commission.

And the supply continues!!! With the arrival of 100 tons of Oxygen from #Haldia today, a total of 280 tons came from #India to #SriLanka within one week. More expected in the days and weeks ahead. @MFA_SriLanka pic.twitter.com/zBpr86jQer

— India in Sri Lanka (@IndiainSL) August 25, 2021

India’s assistance to Sri Lanka during the pandemic has been varied and need-based in nature. Close to 26 tonnes of essential medical supplies were gifted in April-May 2020. A currency swap of $400 million was provided in July 2020. Bhutan In March, Bhutan received the first consignment of 1.5 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine Covishield as a gift from India in January. Bhutan was the first country to receive the Government of India’s gift of the COVID-19 vaccines, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII). Indian Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj handed over the vaccine consignment of additional 400,000 doses of Covishield to Foreign Minister Tandi Dorji at Paro airport, according to a press release issued by the Indian Embassy in Bhutan. In April, India sent a consignment of medical supplies, including Hydroxychloroquine, under the Coronavirus Emergency Fund to Bhutan to assist the country in its fight against coronavirus. The consignment was handed over by Indian ambassador Ruchira Kamboj to Bhutan Health Minister Dechen Wangmo on Moy. “India’s gesture to continue delivery of essential medicines is a testimony to the unique bonds of trust and understanding between India and Bhutan over decades,” India embassy in Bhutan said in a statement. India would continue to extend all possible support to Bhutan to minimize the health and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the statement further said. Maldives Last year, in September, Maldives thanked India for the financial assistance of $250 million — “the single largest financial assistance from a donor” — to support the island nation amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2021, India gifted 100,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to the Maldives for vaccinating healthcare workers, frontline workers and those with co-morbidities. In addition to the doses gifted, India also assisted the Maldives in securing supplies of vaccines at affordable rates from Indian manufacturing companies. With inputs from PTI