New Delhi: India has delivered 6.2 tonnes of essential medicines and hospital consumables to Maldives, which were stuck due to the 21-day coronavirus lockdown in the country.
The consignment was airlifted to Male by an Indian Air Force (IAF) C-130 aircraft Wednesday as part of ‘Operation Sanjeevani’.
These medicines and consumables were procured by Maldives’ State Trading Organisation (STO) from eight different suppliers in India.
A statement from the Indian embassy in Maldives Thursday said that due to the lockdown in India to contain the spread of Covid-19, the consignment could not be transported to Maldives by the suppliers through any other means.
So, at the request of the Maldivian government, the IAF aircraft lifted these medicines from the airports in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Madurai, and flew them to Maldives.
The Indian Army facilitated the transport of these medicines and consumables from warehouses across India to the respective airports.
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Medicines included influenza, cancer drugs
The medicines included influenza vaccines, anti-viral drugs such as lopinavir and ritonavir (which have been used to treat Covid-19 patients in other countries), medicines for cardiac conditions, kidney ailments, hypertension, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, allergies and cancer treatment.
The consignment also included anticonvulsants and consumables such as catheters, nebulisers, urine bags and infant feeding tubes.
India had on 14 March gifted 5.5 tonnes of essential medicines to Maldives to deal with coronavirus.
India had also sent a 14-member Covid-19 Rapid Response Team of doctors and specialists to enhance Maldives’ preparedness. The team has come back after providing necessary training and help.
The IAF, meanwhile, Wednesday said it has transported around 25 tonnes of essential medical supplies from Delhi, Surat, Chandigarh to Manipur, Nagaland and the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
The medical supplies included personal protective equipment (PPE), hand sanitisers, surgical gloves, thermal scanners, the IAF said in a statement, adding that medical personnel are also being taken from one place to another using their aircraft.
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