When India struggled with severe shortages of oxygen and other medical supplies, it took the Department of Health and Family Welfare a week to set the SOP, even though foreign aid first came to India from Singapore on April 25.
A plane carrying Medical Aid to India to help the country fight the coronavirus disease outbreak at Moscow’s Zhukovsky Airport on April 28, 2021. (Photo: Reuters)
Around 40 nations around the world announced they would be sending medical supplies and aid to help India cope with the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic that has devastated many parts of the country.
The first shipments of medical supplies from abroad came to India from Singapore on April 25th. Since then, Tons of foreign aid in the form of oxygen generators, concentrators and fans were received by State Department (MEA) officials last week.
However, it turns out that while the first shipment of Covid-19 aid arrived in India on April 25, it took the center seven days to establish the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the distribution of this life-saving medical care among states than hospitals begged for oxygen and the people succumbed to the deadly disease.
Government sources have told India Today TV that the Department of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), the Node Ministry, communicated the procedure for distributing these supplies to states on May 2 and appointed HLL Lifecare (HLL) as sales director.
The Union Department’s belated response came despite the country opening its gates to receive vital foreign aid on April 26 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to US President Joe Biden.
What is the SOP?
According to the communication from the Ministry of the Union, the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) has been appointed as the official consignee, while HLL has been entrusted with the distribution of the supplies received from abroad.
According to the SOP, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MEA) will be the hub for channeling all assistance offers from abroad.
The IRSC has been designated as the recipient for all shipments received via MEA and received as donations from abroad.
The Red Cross Society will issue HLL the necessary certificates for processing customs and official permits at airports. HLL was appointed customs agent of the Red Cross and sales manager of MoHFW. It was entrusted with the rapid handling of shipments and transport for distribution to the states.
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