US India Caucus urges Biden to send COVID supplies to India

Expressing gratitude to US President Joe Biden for providing COVID-19 assistance to India, US Congressional India Caucus leadership has requested him for additional resources and healthcare supplies to save lives in India amid the unprecedented rise in number of infections.

"In addition to oxygen and related systems, India also needs several other items including: Remdesivir, Tocilizumab, Ventilators/BiPAP. We sincerely appreciate your effort to provide India in the coming days with the additional supplies listed above and to work to supply other items that India might need as the second wave continues to surge, such as additional PPE and tests," the letter said.

The India Caucus leaders said that it is in the US interest, for everyone in India to be vaccinated. "To the extent it is possible, we hope that you will work to provide India with vaccines. With this in mind, we welcome recently announced plans to make available sources of raw materials to help India manufacture more vaccines."

They urged Biden to share with India surplus doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine as soon as possible.

The letter has been signed by India Caucus Co-Chairs Congressmen Brad Sherman and Steve Chabot, in addition to its co-Vice Chairs Congressman Michael Waltz and Khanna.

On Friday, the United States delivered its first shipment of medical supplies to India including 423 oxygen cylinders with regulators (200 Size D, 223 Size H), 210 pulse oximeters, 184,000 Abbott Rapid Diagnostic Test Kits, and 84000 N-95 face masks.

In the second shipment on the same day, the US delivered 17 H-size (large) oxygen cylinders and 7,00,000 Abbott Rapid Diagnostic Test Kits to help the country fight the coronavirus pandemic.

India reported 3,86,452 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours and this is the highest single-day spike in the cases since the pandemic began last year. The cumulative count of the COVID-19 cases has gone up to 1,87,62,976, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

( With inputs from ANI )