COVID-19: IAF airlifts 900 oxygen cylinders from Britain
May 03, 2021
New Delhi [India] May 3, : The first batch of 900 oxygen cylinders offered by the British Oxygen Company was airlifted by Indian Air Force (IAF) to India on Monday.
The British Oxygen Company has offered 5000 oxygen cylinders to India to help the country in its fight against rapidly spreading second wave of COVID-19.
In a tweet, the High Commission of India, London said: "5000 Oxygen Cylinders (46 Ltr) contributed free of cost by British Oxygen Company. 1st batch of 900 cylinders airlifted by Indian Air Force @IAF_MCC to India this morning. Thank you @boconline @RoyalAirForce & SERCO for local logistics support. @MEAIndia @DrSJaishankar."
The United Kingdom on Sunday (local time) had announced that it will be sending additional 1,000 ventilators from the UK's surplus supply to Indian hospitals as part of its commitment to support India's fight against the second wave of coronavirus.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that India's fight against increasing coronavirus cases will be reinforced by the new UK government support announcement of additional ventilators in addition to 200 ventilators, 495 oxygen concentrators and three oxygen generation units the UK sent to India last week.
The IAF has been relentlessly working towards smooth shipping of oxygen containers and concentrators, working from the force base in Panagarh in West Bengal.
As India is facing surging COVID cases and there is an unprecedented health crisis in the country, several countries have extended support to India.
Global help and support in the form of PPE kits, raw materials for the production of vaccines, oxygen concentrator, and oxygen container.
India registered a slight dip in COVID-19 cases as it registered 3,68,147 new coronavirus infections and 3,417 related deaths in the last 24 hours, informed the union health ministry on Monday morning.
