UK sends life-saving medical equipment to India to help fight Covid-19

Team Melantra • April 25, 2021

More than 600 pieces of vital medical equipment will be sent to India to support the country in its fight against Covid-19, the UK Government has announced.

The UK is sending life saving equipment to India
Isometric pulmonary ventilator is medical machine designed to provide mechanical ventilation by moving breathable air into and out of the lungs and for anesthesia of the patient.

The assistance package, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, includes ventilators and oxygen concentrators from surplus stocks. It will be used by the Government of India to provide vital medical treatment to those suffering from Covid-19 in India.

The Department of Health and Social Care have worked closely with the NHS, as well as suppliers and manufacturers in the UK to identify reserve life-saving equipment that can be sent to India.

India has this week reported its highest numbers of new daily cases and deaths since the pandemic began and is facing severe shortages of oxygen.

Following discussions with the Government of India, the first shipment of equipment will leave the UK today, arriving in New Delhi in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Further shipments are due to follow later this week.

In total, nine airline container loads of supplies, including 495 oxygen concentrators, 120 non-invasive ventilators and 20 manual ventilators, will be sent to the country this week. This equipment will be crucial in helping to save the lives of the most vulnerable in India. The oxygen concentrators, for example, can extract oxygen from the air in the atmosphere so that it can be provided to patients, taking the strain off hospital oxygen systems and allowing oxygen to be provided in situations where hospital oxygen supplies have run out.

The UK is working closely with the Government of India to identify further assistance it can provide in the coming days.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “We stand side by side with India as a friend and partner during what is a deeply concerning time in the fight against Covid-19.

“Vital medical equipment, including hundreds of oxygen concentrators and ventilators, is now on its way from the UK to India to support efforts to prevent the tragic loss of life from this terrible virus.

“We will continue to work closely with the Indian government during this difficult time and I’m determined to make sure that the UK does everything it can to support the international community in the global fight against the pandemic.”

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: “We are supporting our Indian friends with vital medical equipment at a difficult time for them in this pandemic.

“We have all got to work together to tackle Covid-19. India is a very important partner to us, so we’re providing oxygen concentrators and ventilators to help save the lives of the most vulnerable. We will be following up on this first delivery with further support, based on our ongoing discussions with the Indian Government.”

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock has said: “The heart-breaking scenes in India show once again how awful this terrible disease is. We are determined to support the people of India through this very difficult time, and I am hugely grateful to those who have worked hard to make this initial delivery happen.

“This first delivery of life saving equipment will provide much needed assistance and we stand ready to do more. The global pandemic has challenged health systems all across the world and the best way to overcome adversity is to unite and defeat this dreadful disease together.”

This is the just the latest example of UK-India collaboration throughout this pandemic, to the benefit of both countries and the world.

Facebook will no longer target you for your race, sexual orientation and religion

By Team Melantra • November 14, 2021
New Year and a new advertising policy at Facebook and Instagram. Meta Platforms has confirmed that starting January 19 2022, it will “remove Detailed Targeting options that relate to topics people may perceive as sensitive, such as options referencing causes, organisations, or public figures that relate to health, race or ethnicity, political affiliation, religion, or sexual […] The post Facebook will no longer target you for your race, sexual orientation and religion appeared first on Hot Off The Press.

Biden tries to save local news, raises eyebrows

By Team Melantra • November 13, 2021
US president Joe Biden wants to introduce a $1.85 trillion social spending bill. One of the provisions in that bill is, well, making the (local) news. A provision that helps save local newsrooms is hitting the headlines – a payroll tax credit for companies that employ eligible local journalists. According to media reports, media outlets […] The post Biden tries to save local news, raises eyebrows appeared first on Hot Off The Press.

Mobile phone apps as an internal communication channel

By Team Melantra • June 4, 2021
An internal communication specialist is focused on getting company news to employees at the right time and for the right reasons. But how do you reach out to the workforce, and what are the most effective communication tools? In our series about internal communication channels, we dwell on the all-important employee app. Employee apps have […] The post Mobile phone apps as an internal communication channel appeared first on Hot Off The Press.
More Posts