Singapore sends two aircrafts of medical oxygen to India amid Covid-19 surge

Singapore, April 28: Offering a helping hand to India, Singapore has sent a consignment of medical oxygen cylinders to support India's fight against the pandemic, the country's foreign affairs ministry said on Wednesday.

 

The second minister for foreign affairs Dr. Maliki Osman flagged off two of the Singapore Air Force's C-130 aircraft, arriving in India with 256 oxygen cylinders, said Singapore's diplomatic missions in New Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai.

 

The Indian Air Force also deployed its C-17 aircraft to bring three oxygen containers from Singapore to the Panagarh Air Base. Earlier, the same aircraft had reached Changi airport Singapore to transport four cryogenic tanks to India by Saturday evening.

 

 

The oxygen supplies from Singapore are arriving in two C-130 aircraft, which were handed over by Dr Maliki Osman to India's High Commissioner P Kumaran at the Paya Lebar Air Base on Wednesday morning.

 

 

The medical supplies of oxygen of Singapore come amid the deadly, more infectious second wave of the coronavirus disease, with which India is currently struggling. Several hospitals across the country, including at the national capital, have reported serious oxygen deficit, even as patients scramble to get ICU beds and essential drugs.

 

Singapore investment firm Temasek has also sent medical equipment while India's Tata Group donated four cryogenic oxygen cylinders sourced from Singapore. That consignment landed in West Bengal over the weekend.

 

 

On Wednesday, India saw a record single-day rise of 3,60,960 Covid-19 cases, which pushed the total infection tally to 1,79,97,267, while the death toll crossed two lakh following 3,293 fresh fatalities.