Ireland donates another 500 pieces of vital medical equipment to India as Covid-19 surge continues

IRELAND HAS donated another 500 pieces of essential medical equipment to hospitals in India as Covid-19 continues to ravage the subcontinent.

It follows on from a donation of 700 oxygen concentrators which were sent out last week after doctors in India began issuing appeals for help on Twitter.

India is in the midst of a devastating wave with hospitals running out of ventilation equipment and beds for the thousands of new cases being diagnosed on a daily basis.

It is a situation that has led to some of the most harrowing scenes from the pandemic to date with people dying in the street or while waiting for a bed in their cars.

In the past 24 hours alone, an astonishing 382,316 new cases of Covid-19 have been reported with a further 3,780 deaths recorded across the country in that time.

The situation has been dangerously escalating steadily over the past two weeks with more than 300,000 new cases recorded every day for the past 14 days.

Eager to answer the call for help, Ireland has now sent a further 500 concentrators, along with two oxygen generators and other essential materials.

The equipment came from stocks purchased by Ireland’s Health Service Executive for use in any temporary field hospitals that might have been required at the height of the pandemic.

It is due to arrive in Delhi on Tuesday.

Minister of State for Overseas Aid and the Diaspora Colm Brophy said: “Irish people are known to be among the most generous in the world in the face of major global catastrophes. The COVID-19 surge in India is no exception.

"As we continue to watch distressing scenes of people in India suffering, the response we have received in the Department of Foreign Affairs has been phenomenal.

"We have received queries from people wishing to make financial donations, as well as specialist medical suppliers wishing to donate equipment.

“The Government is doing all we can to support India, and I am really proud of the response of the Irish people”.

Arindam Bagchi, the official spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs was among those to express their gratitude.

He tweeted: “Deeply grateful to our EU partner for the support which will help add to our oxygen capacities.”