Direct Relief’s medical aid to India during Covid pandemic valued at $607 million
Direct Relief, a nonprofit humanitarian organization that provides emergency medical assistance and disaster relief in the US and internationally, has supported India with medical aid worth about $607 million since April, the NGO updated on its website.
“With the situation drastically deteriorating in India, Direct Relief prepared a number of large emergency donations and, since April 2021, has delivered 750 tons of aid with a total wholesale value of $601.6 million through the provision of 334 shipments,“ it said.
The US-based group’s shipments to India during this period contained 6,665 oxygen concentration units, 29.6 million defined daily doses (DDDs) of Covid-19 ancillary medications such as antibiotics, vasopressors, sedatives, immune suppressants and albuterol inhalers, 7,610,788 million units of PPE including masks, gowns, gloves, goggles, and face shields.
In addition, Direct Relief provided cash grants designed to increase the capacity of medical institutions to safely and effectively treat patients with Covid-19, as well as to strengthen their resilience so that they are better prepared to manage infectious disease outbreaks in the future. The emergency shipments containing oxygen concentrators, medical products, and PPE were packed at Direct Relief’s warehouse in California, transported by air freight, and delivered to health facilities caring for Covid-19 patients throughout the country, The NGO said in the update.