With the mobilisation of France, Italy, Finland and Austria, 10 EU Member States are responding to India’s request for assistance by channelling anti-Covid-19 equipment and medicines through the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism, the European Commission announced on Thursday 29 April.
Ireland, Belgium, Romania, Luxembourg, Portugal and Sweden had already requested this solidarity mechanism to provide aid in response to the Indian authorities’ request for assistance with a coronavirus outbreak (see EUROPE 12708/24).
France is sending liquid oxygen, 28 ventilators and 8 oxygen generators, each of which can make an Indian hospital self-sufficient in oxygen supply for about 10 years.
Italy offers an oxygen generating plant model and 20 ventilators. Finland will send 318 oxygen cylinders.
Austria is providing 5,521 vials of the antiviral medication Remdesivir (not recommended by WHO for the treatment of Covid-19), 238 oxygen cylinders and 1,900 oxygen cannulas.
In addition, Ireland has made a further offer of 550 oxygen concentrators and 60 ventilators.
“It is in everyone’s interest to support efforts at tackling the latest outbreak in the country”, said Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic.
The Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) coordinates offers of assistance and the EU co-finances transport costs. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)