iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
After the initial silence from the United States to help India fight the massive surge of COVID-19, the country has woken up to provide aids in every way possible.
On Wednesday, April 28, the White House announced that the US will be sending supplies worth more than $100 million to India. The supplies include 1,000 oxygen cylinders, 15 million N95 masks and 1 million rapid diagnostic tests, the statement said.
The US has also decided to redirect some of its own manufacturing supplies of AstraZeneca to India, which will allow it to make over 20 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, according to the White House.
On Thursday, April 29, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said in a tweet that the US is committed to support India in every way possible.
He tweeted, “Thanks to @US_TRANSCOM, @AirMobilityCmd, @Travis60AMW & @DLAmil for hustling to prepare critical @USAID medical supplies for shipping. As I’ve said, we’re committed to use every resource at our disposal, within our authority, to support India’s frontline healthcare workers.”
The White House, in its statement, acknowledged how in the moments of dire need India had stepped to help the US earlier in the pandemic.
“Just as India sent assistance to the United States when our hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, the United States is determined to help India in its time of need,” said the White House.
India’s death count from the coronavirus pandemic surged past 200,000 on Wednesday, worsened by shortages of hospital beds and medical oxygen. The last 24 hours brought 360,960 new cases for the world’s largest single-day total, taking India’s tally of infections to nearly 18 million.
