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Liquid oxygen use banned for non-medical purposes

Further, all stocks of liquid oxygen should also be made available to the government for use for medical purposes, it said, adding that no exception is allowed…reports Asian Lite News.

To ensure that there is no lack of oxygen in the Covid-19 hospitals across the country, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Sunday banned use of liquid oxygen for any non-medical purpose while directing its manufacturing units to maximise production and make it available to the government for medical purposes only.

The ministry, in an order, stated that the National Executive Committee (NEC), under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, has taken certain decisions to ensure the uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen across the country.

“And whereas, it has been considered necessary to restrict industrial usage of oxygen for ensuring availability of adequate and uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen across the country for the management of Covid-19 patients and necessary order in this regard was issued on 22.04.2021 to restrict the use of industrial oxygen.

“Now, therefore, in the exercise of powers conferred under section 10(2)(I) and section 65 of the DM Act, the undersigned, hereby directs the state/Union Territory governments and state/Union Territory Authorities to ensure that use of liquid oxygen is not allowed for any non-medical purpose and that all manufacturing units may maximize their production of liquid oxygen, and make it available to the government for use for medical purposes only, with immediate effect and until further orders,” the order stated.

Further, all stocks of liquid oxygen should also be made available to the government for use for medical purposes, it said, adding that no exception is allowed.

Relatives of COVID-19 patients wait to refill cylinders with medical oxygen, in New Delhi  on Sunday, April 25, 2021 (Pallav Paliwal)

On April 22, the MHA prohibited supply of oxygen for industrial purposes, except those exempted by the government.

The ministry had also issued a directive to states and Union Territories asking them to make sure there are no restrictions in the supply of medical oxygen.

It said that the availability of adequate and uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen is an important prerequisite for managing moderate and severe cases of Covid-19 and with the increasing cases, the medical oxygen supply will need to keep pace with the requirements of the states and Union Territories.

Empowered Group-II (EG-II) was set up with the mandate for coordinating medical logistics, including medical oxygen, and has reviewed the supply of oxygen for industrial use in order to divert the same to meet the rising demand for medical oxygen in the country and save precious lives.

Accordingly, EG-II had recommended prohibiting the supply of oxygen for industrial purposes by manufacturers and suppliers forthwith from April 22, till further orders, with the exception of nine specified industries.

The recommendations were accepted by the Central government and the said decision, along with the list of nine exempted industries, have been conveyed by Secretary, Health and Family Welfare on April 18, 2021.

The ministry in the order stated that all District Magistrates, Superintendents of Police, and Deputy Commissioners of Police of districts concerned will be personally liable for implementing the directions and ensuring there is no hindrance in oxygen supply.
“No restriction shall be imposed on the movement of medical oxygen between the states and transport authorities shall be instructed to accordingly allow free inter-state movement of oxygen-carrying vehicles,” the MHA directive stated.

Also Read-Saudi ships 80 metric tons of liquid oxygen to India

Read More-Amazon gives 10,000 oxygen concentrators to India

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-Top News India News USA

US anti-Covid supplies to reach India soon

The US will also send India anti-COVID supplies like test kits, ventilators, medications and personal protective equipment used by frontline workers…reports Arul Louis

In a break from the America First policy, President Joe Biden’s administration is “working round the clock” to immediately send India raw material needed for making Covishield and other products needed in the fight against the COVID-19 surge overtaking the nation, according to National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.

Recalling the assistance sent by India to the US in the early phase of the pandemic last year, he told India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval in a phone call on Sunday that “the United States is working around the clock to deploy available resources and supplies”, Sullivan’s Spokesperson Emily Horne said.

Sullivan told Doval that Washington “also is pursuing options to provide oxygen generation and related supplies on an urgent basis,” she said in a readout of their conversation.

The US will also send India anti-COVID supplies like test kits, ventilators, medications and personal protective equipment used by frontline workers.

The National Defence Production Act invoked by former President Donald Trump banned the export of vaccine raw materials and some other COVID-related products and have continued under Biden.

The decision to lift the embargo for India on the export of vaccine raw materials comes after nearly two weeks of requests from Adar Poonawalla, the CEO of vaccine-maker Serum Institute of India, and others in India.

Also read:Nepal seeks India’s medical assistance to fight virus

But as recently as Friday various US government spokespersons would not say if the Biden administration would lift the embargo.

State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said on Thursday that the “first obligation” was to the American people and added, “It’s in the interests of the rest of the world to see Americans vaccinated”.

But as calls grew for helping India, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken gave a hint on Saturday that India may get the material to fight the pandemic surge.

Media statement(Twitter)

He tweeted, “We are working closely with our partners in the Indian government, and we will rapidly deploy additional support to the people of India and India’s health care heroes.”

Horne said in the readout, “Just as India sent assistance to the United States as our hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, the United States is determined to help India in its time of need.”

After some physicians had said that hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) could be a treatment for COVID-19, last April Trump had personally asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lift his ban on its exports and supply the drug to the US.

Also read:US ‘working closely’ with India, but no response on export embargo

India sent about 50 million doses of HCQ to the US and thanking Modi, Trump said, “We will remember it.”

Now the next president’s administration is remembering it, even though the emergency use authorisation for HCQ’s in hospital settings in the US was withdrawn and a huge cache of it sits unused while Modi’s decision was crticised in India.

Covidshield

India has been sharing its vaccine production with countries around the world, sending nearly 65 million doses to 86 countries.

Horne said, “Sullivan affirmed America’s solidarity with India, the two countries with the greatest number of COVID-19 cases in the world” and they both “resolved that India and the United States will continue to fight the global COVID-19 pandemic together.”

The readout, listing what India will receive, said, “The United States has identified sources of specific raw material urgently required for Indian manufacture of the Covishield vaccine that will immediately be made available for India. To help treat COVID-19 patients and protect front-line health workers in India, the United States has identified supplies of therapeutics, rapid diagnostic test kits, ventilators, and personal protective equipment (PPE) that will immediately be made available for India.”

The US is also deploying an expert team of public health advisors from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and USAID to work with the embassy in Delhi, India’s Health Ministry, and India’s Epidemic Intelligence Service, the readout said.

USAID, which is the international assistance arm of the US, “will also quickly work with CDC to support and fast-track the mobilization of emergency resources available to India through the Global Fund,” it said. The Global Fund is an international collaboration to fight epidemics and serious diseases.

Looking ahead, the readout said, “The U.S. Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is funding a substantial expansion of manufacturing capability for BioE (Biological E), the vaccine manufacturer in India, enabling BioE to ramp up to produce at least one billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines by the end of 2022.”

Also read:India, US join hands on climate

Biological E, a Hyderabad-based company, is set to conduct Phase 3 trials for a vaccine developed by Baylor University and Dynavax Technologies Corporation in the US.

At the March summit of Quad, Biden and Modi, along with Prime Ministers Yoshihide Suga of Japan and Scott Morrison of Australia agreed on a joint plan to help other countries with vaccines that would be made in India with US and Japanese finance and distributed using Australian logistics.

Democratic members of the House of Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi and Ro Khanna asked Biden to open the spigot on the excess vaccines for India, but from the readout of the Sullivan-Doval meeting it did not appear that as yet there was an agreement on the vaccines.

Krishnamoorthi pointed out that the US had about 40 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is distributed in India under the Covishield brand name, and had begun supplying some of it to Canada and the US.

He said that he would “strongly call on the Biden Administration to release millions of AstraZeneca vaccine doses to countries hardest-hit by the spread of COVID-19, including India, Argentina, and potentially others.”

“I applaud the Biden Administration’s decision to put people over profits,” Khanna said welcoming the decision to give India the raw materials and other supplies, and added, “The Biden Administration can still do more, like give India our stockpile of AstraZeneca vaccines that won’t be used in the US.”

Biden’s chief adviser on the COVID-19 pandemic, Anthony Fauci, said on a TV programme on Sunday that sending vaccines to India was under consideration.

Also read:Pause on J&J Covid-19 vaccine lifted

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-Top News India News USA

Amazon gives 10,000 oxygen concentrators to India

The company said that the organisations are working closely with the Indian government to expedite the entry of these oxygen concentrators and BiPAP machines into the country.

India is going through a tough stage or crisis related to Oxygen and Covid management. Amazon on Sunday announced to donate 10,000 oxygen concentrators and BiPAP machines to hospitals and public institutions to augment their capacity to help Covid-19, infected patients, across multiple cities in India.

The first of these consignments was set to land in Mumbai on Sunday and a majority of the shipping is expected to be completed by April 30.

Amazon has joined hands with ACT Grants, Temasek Foundation, Pune Platform for COVID-19 Response (PPCR) and other partners to urgently airlift over 8,000 oxygen concentrators and 500 BiPAP machines from Singapore.

A typical full face CPAP mask. (Wikipedia)

Additionally, Amazon India is also procuring over 1,500 oxygen concentrators and other critical medical equipment in partnership with non-profits including Swasth, Concern India and impact organisations like ACT Grants and Sattva Consulting.

The company said that the organisations are working closely with the Indian government to expedite the entry of these oxygen concentrators and BiPAP machines into the country.

“We stand firmly with the country, deploying our global logistics network to urgently airlift the needed oxygen concentrators to support the nation’s immediate need,” said Amit Agarwal, Global SVP and Country Head, Amazon India.

A lightweight portable oxygen concentrator. (Wikipedia)

Amazon will bear the cost of airlifting these oxygen concentrators and BiPAP machines, procured through multiple funders including ACT Grants and PPCR from Singapore to India through Air India and other international carriers.

Additionally, the company will also manage the movement of these oxygen concentrators and other donations from the local airport to identified hospitals and institutions.

Also Read-Amazon to allow direct seller-customer contact

Read More-Amazon Prime hits 200Mn users

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Saudi ships 80 metric tons of liquid oxygen to India

The urgent supply shipment is being undertaken in coordination with India’s Adani group and Linde company….reports Asian Lite News

Saudi Arabia shipped 80 metric tons of liquid oxygen to India as the country is perilously running low on supplies due to a recent surge in coronavirus cases.

The urgent supply shipment is being undertaken in coordination with India’s Adani group and Linde company.

India’s number of coronavirus cases surged by 349,691 in the past 24 hours, the fourth straight day of record peaks, and hospitals in Delhi and across the country are turning away patients after running out of medical oxygen and beds.

“Embassy of India is proud to partner with Adani group and M/s Linde in shipping much needed 80MT liquid oxygen to India. Our heartfelt thanks to the Ministry of Health Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for all their help, support and cooperation,” India’s embassy based in Riyad said in a tweet.

India also began airlifting tanks containing oxygen from Singapore to meet the growing demand for life-saving gas.

It also diverted oxygen supplies from industrial uses to hospitals, but this move did not meet the increase in demand, Middle East daily Asharq Al-Awsat reported on Sunday.

India logged a record of 3,49,691 new coronavirus infections in a day on Sunday, taking its total tally of COVID-19 cases to 1,69,60,172. The death toll increased to 1,92,311 with a record 2,767 daily new fatalities, according to the Union Health Ministry data.

Also read:Customs duty on oxygen, vaccines waived

“Thank you @IndianEmbRiyadh Indeed, actions speak louder than words. We are on an urgent mission to secure oxygen supplies from across the world. This first shipment of 4 ISO cryogenic tanks with 80 tons of liquid oxygen is now on its way from Dammam to Mundra, Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani said in a tweet.

India is struggling with a second wave of the pandemic with more than 3,00,000 daily new coronavirus cases being reported in the past few days, and hospitals in several states are reeling under a shortage of medical oxygen and beds.

To combat the growing demand for oxygen in the country, India has reached out to various countries to procure containers and oxygen cylinders under operation ‘Oxygen Maitri’.

The Indian Air Force on Saturday brought four cryogenic tanks, to be used for transporting oxygen, from Singapore. The containers were airlifted from Singapore by C17 heavy-lift aircraft of the IAF.

The aircraft “with 4 cryogenic containers for storage of liquid O2 from Singapore landed at Panagarh airbase” in West Bengal on Saturday, a home ministry spokesperson tweeted.

Also read:Saudi bans Lebanese produce over drug smuggling

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Business India News

Customs duty on oxygen, vaccines waived

Oxygen cylinders

The decision comes after the Prime Minister chaired a meeting to review steps taken to boost oxygen availability in the country….reports Asian Lite News

Centre on Saturday exempted basic customs duty on oxygen, oxygen related equipment and vaccines.

The decision comes after the Prime Minister chaired a meeting to review steps taken to boost oxygen availability in the country.

In a statement, Ministry of Finance said: “The PM emphasised that there was an immediate need to augment the supply of medical grade oxygen as well as equipment required for patient care both at home and in hospitals.”

“PM stressed that all ministries and departments need to work in synergy to increase availability of oxygen and medical supplies.”

During the meeting, it was suggested that import of equipment related to providing oxygen to patients needs to be expedited.

Oxygen cylinders are stored at Kolkata Medical College Hospital during the increasing numbers of COVID 19 patients in Kolkata on April 23, 2021.(Photo: Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS)

In order to augment their production and availability and to meet the rising demand, it was decided to grant full exemption from ‘Basic Customs Duty’ and health cess on import of items related to ‘Oxygen and Oxygen related equipment’ for a period of three months with immediate effect.

Besides, it was decided that basic customs duty on import of Covid vaccines be exempted with immediate effect for a period of 3 months.

Also read:SpiceJet airlifts 800 oxygen concentrators from HK

“This will boost availability of these items as well as make them cheaper. The PM directed the ‘Revenue Department’ to ensure seamless and quick custom clearance of such equipment.”

Furthermore, the statement cited that Centre has taken a lot of measures in the last few days to improve supply of oxygen and medical supplies.

“IAF planes are bringing in cryogenic oxygen tanks from Singapore. IAF is also transporting oxygen tanks in the country to reduce travel times.”

Covidshield

“Similarly, in a major decision yesterday, free food grains will be given to 80 crore Indians for the month of May and June 2021.”

The Prime Minister stressed that all ministries and departments need to work in synergy to increase availability of oxygen and medical supplies. The Prime Minister was briefed that basic customs duty was exempted on Remdesivir and its API recently.

It was suggested that import of equipment related to providing oxygen to patients needs to be expedited. In order to augment their production and availability and to meet the rising demand, it was decided to grant full exemption from Basic Customs Duty and health cess on import of items related to Oxygen and Oxygen related equipment for a period of three months with immediate effect.

Also read:Kerala steps up oxygen production amid raging crisis

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-Top News India News Karnataka

Karnataka to adopt UK model to contain virus spread

Karnataka Health Minister Sudhakar

The minister issued a stern warning to private hospital owners and government doctors not to succumb to any pressure and admit only those patients whose oxygen saturation level falls below 90 per cent…reports Asian Lite News

The Karnataka health minister on Saturday said that the state government will be adopting tough measures on the lines of the steps taken by the United Kingdom to contain the spread of the second wave of the coronavirus in that country in December 2020.

The minister issued a stern warning to private hospital owners and government doctors not to succumb to any pressure and admit only those patients whose oxygen saturation level falls below 90 per cent. “We are issuing a circular in this regard that only patients below 90 per cent of oxygen saturation level be given beds,” he said.

Health Minister Sudhakar said that the UK’s tough measures included allotment of hospital beds only to those patients whose oxygen saturation level fell below 90 per cent when the second wave of Covid had swept that country in December 2020.

Interaction with members of CII Karnataka(Twitter)


“Initially, when the second wave swept across the UK, many people got admitted to hospitals using influence. In India too, ‘influence’ does play a vital role, here (Karnataka) too in some cases even in government hospitals, beds are occupied by asymptomatic patients or mild-symptomatic patients and as a result of this there is a shortage of beds,” he said.

He appealed to the people not to seek beds after mild symptoms. He also requested fellow politicians’ friends to stop using influence to admit a patient.

The minister pointed out that during the first phase of the second wave in the UK too many lives were lost due to beds being occupied by mildly symptomatic patients. However, they realised their mistake very soon and rectified it immediately by making it mandatory that admission into hospitals will only be for those whose oxygen level has fallen below 90 percent. “We need such stringent measures here too and only then the number of fatalities can be minimised,” he asserted.

Also read:SpiceJet airlifts 800 oxygen concentrators from HK


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COVID-19 Kerala

Kerala steps up oxygen production amid raging crisis

Oxygen cylinders are stored at Kolkata Medical College Hospital during the increasing numbers of COVID 19 patients in Kolkata on April 23, 2021.(Photo: Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS)

Kerala health department and PESO have been working together to ensure medical oxygen supply…reports Asian Lite News.

Kerala has increased its production of oxygen from 99.39 metric tonnes in April last year to 219 metric tonnes in April this year.

At a time when several states are facing a severe shortage of medical oxygen, Kerala has managed to increase its medical oxygen supply and storage.

Speaking to ANI, Southern Gas Ltd, Trivandrum, manager Aparna Nayar said, “For the last two weeks, there has been a drastic increase in demand for medical oxygen. We are trying to meet this increased demand. We have fully stopped industrial production and are filling medical oxygen only.”

She said, “We are supplying to government and private hospitals. Now there is a drastic increase in enquiries from all over south India. We cannot meet all the requirements. We are diverting to our other units. Whatever is possible we are doing.”

Kerala health department and PESO have been working together to ensure medical oxygen supply.

Talking about PESO’s intervention, Aparna said, “We are in a safe position only due to PESO’s intervention. They are closely monitoring all the activities and giving us help all the time.”

In a press meet Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that in the present situation we require 74.25 metric tonne oxygen and 219.22 metric tonne is being produced in Kerala. He said that there is around 50 per cent occupancy in government hospital’s ICU beds for both COVID and non-COVID patients.

As per the union health ministry update on Saturday, 22,757 COVID-19 cases and 27 deaths were reported in Kerala in the past 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the Congress-led opposition has asked both the authorities and the media to ensure that no one should spread panic among the people regarding the surge in Covid cases.

Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala told the media that like in the first wave, the opposition is with the state government and is extending all the support in its activities to help reduce the spread.

“What needs to be done is none should make any attempt to spread a sense of fear when the cases surge. We request that an admission protocol for Covid patients be put up so as to reduce the load of patients in the hospitals and through this, only those who really need a hospital admission be brought to the hospital,” said Chennithala.

On Friday, 28,447 turned Covid positive, an all-time high in the state after 1,30,617 samples sent for testing in the past 24 hours.

Across the state, there were 1,78,983 presently positive people, of which in the past one week the tally touched one lakh.

Ernakulam district with a record 29,708 active cases now has the highest number of cases.

With regards to the vaccine policy of the Centre, Chennithala said it was most unfortunate that there has been a differential pricing in the vaccines when it should have been given free.

Also Read-LDF, UDF claim they will form govt in Kerala

Read More-Kerala repeats calls for free vaccines

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-Top News COVID-19 India News

SpiceJet airlifts 800 oxygen concentrators from HK

SpiceJet airlifted 800 oxygen concentrators from Hong Kong to India(TWITTER)

The concentrators will reach Delhi via Kolkata, where the aircraft landed at around 7 p.m. on Saturday….reports Asian Lite News

SpiceJet’s air cargo arm SpiceXpress has airlifted 800 oxygen concentrators from Hong Kong for emergency use and distribution across India.

Accordingly, SpiceXpress’s B737 freighter aircraft airlifted the consignment.

The oxygen concentrators will reach Delhi via Kolkata, where the aircraft landed at around 7 p.m. on Saturday.

“Along with SpiceHealth, we have airlifted 800 oxygen concentrators from Hong Kong for emergency use in India and we are looking at bringing more than 10,000 oxygen concentrators in the coming days from across the globe,” said Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet.

SpiceJet airlifted 800 oxygen concentrators from Hong Kong to India(TWITTER)

“We carried medicines and medical equipment and fruits and vegetables to all corners of India and the world when the pandemic hit us last year, helping our country and our fellow citizens when they needed them the most and we will continue to serve with the same vigour,” he added.

SpiceJet has transported more than 1.5 lakh tonnes of cargo since the imposition of the nationwide lockdown following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic on March 25, 2020.

Also read:Govt response sought to logistical support for oxygen

Meanwhile, government sources told ANI that an order of ten thousand oxygen concentrators has been placed and oxygen concentrators import will start from next week from USA.

“Operating under air bubble with the USA, next flight of Air India from San Fransisco (SFO) to Delhi will carry a large number of oxygen concentrators to India next week. Likewise from Chicago too,” government officials told ANI.

At present many hospitals from India’s national capital are out of oxygen and many hospitals had to knock on the doors of the Delhi High Court on the precarious situation due to no oxygen supply.

SpiceJet airlifted 800 oxygen concentrators from Hong Kong to India(TWITTER)

“In view of oxygen scarcity and uncertainty of getting oxygen and no help from anywhere, we are forced to stop admissions and discharging patients,” said a Delhi-based private hospital notice.

ANI has approached Philips India, a private manufacturer, about the oxygen concentrators supply.

“Philips has many products specifically for Covid-19, including ventilators, oxygen concentrators, ultrasounds, monitors and portable ICU. For the current demand of oxygen, we have significantly increased our global production of Oxygen Concentrators and are making it available in India at the earliest, to help save more lives,” Daniel Mazon, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Philips Indian subcontinent told ANI.

Also read:India waives customs duty on oxygen, vaccines

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-Top News COVID-19 India News

India waives customs duty on oxygen, vaccines

Oxygen cylinders are stored at Kolkata Medical College Hospital during the increasing numbers of COVID 19 patients in Kolkata on April 23, 2021.(Photo: Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS)

The government also exempted basic customs duty on import of Covid vaccines with immediate effect for a period of three months, reports Asian Lite News

The Union government on Saturday decided to grant full exemption from Basic Customs Duty and health cess on import of oxygen and oxygen related equipment for three months. The government also exempted basic customs duty on import of Covid vaccines with immediate effect for a period of three months.

The decision came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting to review steps taken to boost oxygen availability in the country. He emphasized that there was an immediate need to augment the supply of medical grade oxygen as well as equipment required for patient care both at home and in hospitals.

Also Read – Govt to import oxygen containers, plants from Germany

The Prime Minister stressed that all ministries and departments need to work in synergy to increase availability of oxygen and medical supplies. The Prime Minister was briefed that basic customs duty was exempted on Remdesivir and its API recently. It was suggested that import of equipment related to providing oxygen to patients needs to be expedited. In order to augment their production and availability and to meet the rising demand, it was decided to grant full exemption from Basic Customs Duty and health cess on import of items related to Oxygen and Oxygen related equipment for a period of three months with immediate effect.

customs duty
A view of LNJP Hospital after lockdown in National Capital in the wake of rising Covid-19 cases, in New Delhi On Friday, 23 April, 2021.(Photo:Qamar Sibtain/IANS)

Items exempted from basic customs duty and health cess are medical grade oxygen, oxygen concentrator along with flow meter, regulator, connectors and tubing, Vacuum Pressure Swing Absorption (VPSA) and Pressure Swing Absorption (PSA) oxygen plants, Cryogenic Oxygen Air Separation Units (ASUs) producing liquid/gaseous oxygen, Oxygen Canister, Oxygen Filling Systems, Oxygen Storage tanks, Oxygen cylinders including cryogenic cylinders and tanks, Oxygen Generators, ISO Containers for Shipping Oxygen, Cryogenic Road transport tanks for Oxygen.

Also Read – Clock ticks for out-of-breath patients

Parts of the above are to be used for the manufacture of equipment for production, transportation, distribution or storage of Oxygen, any other device from which Oxygen can be generated, Ventilators (capable of functioning as high-flow devices) with nasal cannula; Compressors including all accessories and tubing; humidifiers and Viral filters, High flow nasal cannula device with all attachments, Helmets for use with non-invasive ventilation, Non-invasive ventilation oronasal masks for ICU ventilators, non-invasive ventilation nasal masks for ICU ventilators are also exempted from basic customs duty.

A health worker wearing PPE suit at Shahnai banquet Hall in front of LNJP hospital in New Delhi on Thursday April 15th, 2021.(Photo:Wasim Sarvar/IANS)

The government said that apart from the above, it was also decided that basic customs duty on import of Covid vaccines be also exempted with immediate effect for a period of three months. “This will boost availability of these items as well as make them cheaper,” the government said.

The Prime Minister directed the Revenue Department to ensure seamless and quick custom clearance of such equipment. Accordingly, the Department of Revenue has nominated Joint Secretary, Customs, Gaurav Masaldan as the nodal officer for issues related to customs clearance for the above-mentioned items.

Also Read – Govt response sought to logistical support for oxygen

The Union Government has taken a lot of measures in the last few days to improve supply of oxygen and medical supplies. IAF planes are bringing in cryogenic oxygen tanks from Singapore. The IAF is also transporting oxygen tanks in the country to reduce travel times.

Similarly, in a major decision on Friday, free food grains will be given to 80 crore Indians for the month of May and June this year. Finance Minister, Commerce and Industry Minister, Health Minister, Principal Secretary to the PM, Member NITI Aayog, Dr Randdep Guleria and Secretaries of the department of Revenue, Health and DPIIT and other officials participated in the meeting.

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US ‘working closely’ with India, but no response on export embargo

India - US Biden-Modi

Neither Biden’s press secretary Jen Psaki nor other officials would say if the US would lift the embargo on exporting vaccine raw materials, which India has requested, or share the unused stockpile of AstraZeneca vaccines, reports Arul Louis

US President Joe Biden’s administration is “working closely” with Indian officials to find ways to help the country facing its worst Covid-19 surge, according to his spokesperson Jen Psaki.

However, neither she nor other officials would say on Friday if the US would lift the embargo on exporting vaccine raw materials, which India has requested, or share the unused stockpile of AstraZeneca vaccines.

“We are working closely with Indian officials at both political and experts’ level to identify ways to help address the crisis,” she said on Friday.

“There are ongoing discussions,” she said at “a range of levels about how we can help get through this period”.

While sidestepping the questions of providing vaccines or raw materials for it, Psaki spoke of the assistance the US had provided for the pandemic and for other health programmes.

She said: “From the earliest stages of the pandemic, we’ve provided India with emergency relief supplies, medical consumables, pandemic training for Indian state and local health officials, and ventilators.”

Psaki claimed that the US has also given $1.4 billion in health assistance to help it “prepare for pandemics in the future and deal with the current one we’re facing”.

Also Read – Clock ticks for out-of-breath patients

The $1.4 billion cited by her was the total US aid for health programmes in India over a 20-year period according to USAID, the agency that channels international assistance.

Only $5.9 million was given directly for dealing the Covid-19 pandemic, and it was last year by former President Donald Trump.

At the State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Jalina Porter, who was also asked about the ban on vaccine raw materials export, avoided a direct answer.

Instead, she said, “We have continued to work closely with India to facilitate the movement of essential supplies and also address the bottlenecks of their supply chains. But we’ll also continue to collaborate with our partners in India to battle this at the highest level.”

She added, “We remain deeply engaged with India at all levels as we work to combat this crisis of the pandemic together.”

Also Read – Canada bans flights from India

At another briefing, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeffrey Zients was asked if the US would share with India the AstraZeneca vaccines that it has stockpiled but has not yet approved to use in the US.

He did not directly answer it; instead he said, “We have a longstanding commitment to India’s public ” and added that the US was “working closely with them in the Covid-19 response”.

India
Health worker wearing PPE suit at the emergency Covid-19 care center by Delhi Government at Shahnai banquet Hall in front of LNJP hospital in New Delhi. (Photo:Wasim Sarvar/IANS)

The AstraZeneca vaccine that was developed by Oxford University is approved for use by the World Health Organization and in India under the brand name Covishield.

Zients also asserted that “the Quad partnership and team is providing assistance across government to the country”.

The Quad made up of India, the US, Australia and Japan has in fact agreed on a joint programme for the US and Japan to finance the manufacture of one billion of Covid-19 vaccine by India, which are to be distributed with Australian logistics.

Also Read – More travel miseries as UAE suspends flights from India