Covid-19 Relief: United Kingdom Airlifts Three Oxygen Plants And 1,000 Ventilators To India In World's Largest Cargo Plane

In an effort to ease the shortage of medical oxygen in India, the United Kingdom (UK) is sending three 18-tonne oxygen generation plants and 1,000 ventilators on board the world’s largest cargo plane.

The oxygen generation plants from the UK’s surplus stocks are each capable of producing 500 litres per minute. The life saving equipment amid a devastating second wave of Coronavirus infections in India was transported from Belfast on Friday (7 May) by an Antonov An-124 aircraft.

The latest support package is in addition to 200 ventilators and 495 oxygen concentrators that the UK sent to India last month, reports Hindustan Times.

“The UK is sending surplus oxygen generators from Northern Ireland to India. This life-saving equipment will support the country’s hospitals as they care for vulnerable Covid-19 patients,” said Foreign secretary Dominic Raab.

“The UK and India are working together to tackle this pandemic. No-one is safe until we are all safe,” he added.

On the other hand, in a boost for the ongoing nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive, 50 lakh doses of Covishield manufactured by Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) for export to the UK have now been made available for use in India.

The doses will be used for vaccinating those aged between 18-44 years in 21 States and Union Territories (UTs). The development comes after SII wrote to the Union Health Ministry seeking permission for the same.