Ambassador applauds Indian community for their support
Medical supply shipments continued to flow from Kuwait to India, with the third batch of consignment departing on 6 May on board two Indian naval vessels. The Indian Naval Ship, INS Tabar was loaded with 40 MT Liquid Medical Oxygen, and 600 Oxygen Cylinders; while the INS Kochi carried 60 MT Liquid Medical Oxygen, 800 Oxygen Cylinders, and 2 Oxygen concentrators.
The medical supplies are part of the emergency medical aid sent by the Kuwait government, and also included equipment and supplies contributed by efforts of the Indian community in Kuwait, to assist India fight against the COVID-19 crisis.
Earlier on Wednesday, 5 May, a second Indian ship, this time a commercial vessel, the MV Capt Kattelmann departed Al-Shuaiba Port laden with emergency medical supplies bound for India. The consignment included oxygen cylinders, oxygen generators, ventilators and other medications urgently needed by India as it battles a second wave of a more infectious strain of the coronavirus that has recently been ravaging the country with record daily infections and fatalities being reported.
Welcoming the continued humanitarian assistance from Kuwait, the official spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs of India, Arindum Liagchi expressed sincere gratitude to the State of Kuwait for the gesture and said it would further deepen fraternal ties of friendship and strengthen cooperation between the two friendly countries in the collective fight against the global pandemic.
The cargo that left on Wednesday, followed the first consignment of medical aid to leave Kuwait port, which departed for India on Tuesday from Al-Shuwaikh Port, on board the Indian Naval Ship INS Kolkata. The shipment included two ISO cryogenic tanks of 40 MT Liquid Medical Oxygen (20MT each), oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators and other essential medical relief material.
The State of Kuwait and its people assures their full support with the Republic of India and its people in this crucial time, said Minister of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Abdullah Issa Al-Salman, who was present at Al-Shuwaikh Port on 4 May, to see-off the first shipment of medical aid via ocean-bridge from Kuwait to India as part of joint efforts to fight the COVID-19 global crisis.
In addition to the consignments sent by ship, the Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) had on Monday dispatched a planeload of emergency aid to New Delhi, as part of the country’s humanitarian assistance to ameliorate the strain on Indian hospitals facing acute shortage of essential life-saving equipment and supplies. The 40 tons of medical cargo onboard a special military cargo flight included 282 oxygen cylinders, 60 oxygen concentrators, ventilators, and other urgent medical supplies.
It is noteworthy that Kuwait, through its airlift and ocean-bridge of aid, is among the countries that are supplying the largest amount of Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) to meet the urgent medical needs of India, and further consolidating the fraternal ties that have linked the two countries for centuries.
In a specially convened virtual meeting Indian Ambassador H E Sibi George updated the Indian Community on the Covid 19 situation in India and assistance from abroad.
Pointing out that India and Kuwait had always stood with each other in times of difficulties and Kuwait was one of the first countries to come forward and offer support to India, adding that Foreign Minister H E Sheikh Dr. Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah, in a phone call with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar reiterated the keenness of the Government of Kuwait to provide emergency relief and support to India.
On the efforts of the Indian community in Kuwait in mobilizing support Ambassador Sibi George mentioned that the support had already gone to India from the community spearheaded by the Indian Community Support Group (ICSG). He said ICSG had within three hours of being notified of the crises in India came forward and sent 600 oxygen cylinders, and within the next few days they came forward and promised 600 more. He specially applauded Indian associations including ICSG, Indian Doctors Forum, Indian Business and Professional Council, Indian Institute of Technology & Management and many associations and individuals who were spearheading a campaign to mobilise oxygen cylinders and other equipment.
Ambassador Sibi George informed the community that the Embassy would coordinate all the assistance to be dispatched and has set up a crisis management group of officers in the Mission to monitor the situation real time. “We are available 24×7 for any clarification and assistance. The Embassy is also getting requests from various State Governments and Union Territories and each request is being responded by the Embassy team. Any queries on this also was welcome,” he noted.
Ambassador reiterated that it was important to ensure that all contributions made to these efforts should be done after due verification and that as part of the Standard Operating Procedure, all supplies of COVID-19 related equipment offered to be sent to India was to be routed through Indian Red Cross Society, which would receive it on behalf of Government of India.
