The medical supplies provided by Switzerland will be received by the Indian Red Cross and distributed to hospitals by the Indian Ministry of Health, which is responsible for coordinating international medical aid, the Swiss embassy said in a statement
NEW DELHI: A consignment of 600 oxygen concentrators and 50 respirators, worth about $ 3.3 million arrived in India on Friday from Switzerland, the latest in foreign aid to reach the country that is battling an explosive outbreak of covid-19 infections.
The medical supplies provided by Switzerland will be received by the Indian Red Cross and distributed to hospitals by the Indian Ministry of Health, which is responsible for coordinating international medical aid, the Swiss embassy said in a statement.
“Switzerland stands with India in its hour of need. At this point, our objective is to get all possible assistance to India that we can as quickly as possible," Swiss Ambassador Ralf Heckner said. “What we are witnessing today is international solidarity at its best. It is impressive to see how many countries and private businesses are stepping up to the plate," he said.
Separately, close to 40 Swiss companies also joined hands to pledge medical relief worth over $ 7.6 million for India’s fight against covid-19.
The initiative is jointly led by the Swiss-Indian Chamber of Commerce, the Embassy of Switzerland in New Delhi, and the Swiss Business Hub India.
There are over 300 Swiss companies in India and about 120 Indian companies active in Switzerland.
The companies that have come together for the effort include Ammann Group, Credit Suisse, DHL, EBP Schweiz, Euro Alliance, Fracht, Hamilton Medical, HeiQ Materials, Holcim, Medela, Monterosa Group, Nestlé, Optrel, Oxymed, PwC Schweiz, Rieter, Roche Diagnostics, S.P. Hinduja Banque Privée SA and UBS.
The medical relief package includes oxygen concentrators, rapid antigen test kits, ventilators, portable suction pumps, helmets with ventilation for medical staff, masks, diabetes care products and sanitizers. These will be distributed with the support of the Indian Red Cross Society as well as directly by Swiss companies, many of which also provide local support, a separate statement said.
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