Monday, April 26, 2021

Amazon, Temasek Partner To Airlift Essential Covid Supplies; 8,000 Oxygen Concentrators To India

Global businesses and countries have reached out to India to provide support even as the country reported a high of 3,52,991 fresh Covid cases and 2,812 deaths on Sunday, April 25. US ecommerce giant Amazon has joined hands with ACT Grants (a collective of India’s startup​ ecosystem to combat Covid), Singapore-based Temasek Foundation, Pune Platform for COVID-19 Response (PPCR) and other partners to urgently airlift over 8000 oxygen concentrators and 500 BiPAP machines from Singapore. 

One of the major reasons for the high number of deaths in India has been the lack of access to critical medical aid such as hospital beds, plasma transfusions, oxygen cylinders and medicines like remdesivir and tocilizumab. Even top private hospitals in the national capital Delhi are turning away new patients as they are unsure of having enough medical supplies. Oxygen concentrators provide supplemental oxygen for patients with severe breathing difficulties. BiPAP machines offer a form of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) therapy used to facilitate breathing.

The companies and organisations are working closely with the Indian government to expedite the import of these oxygen concentrators and BiPAP machines. These medical equipment will be donated to hospitals and public institutions to augment their capacity to help Covid-infected patients across multiple cities.

In a blog post, Amazon India said that it will bear the cost of airlifting these oxygen concentrators and BiPAP machines, procured through multiple donors including ACT Grants and PPCR (anchored in the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries & Agriculture or MCCIA) from Singapore to India, through Air India and other international carriers. Additionally, Amazon will also manage the movement of these oxygen concentrators and other donations from the local airport to identified hospitals and institutions. The first of these consignments will land in Mumbai on 25 April, 2021 and a majority of the shipping is expected to be completed by 30th April.

26/04/21 Romita Majumdar/Inc42 

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