India on Tuesday handed over 31 life support or ICU ambulances and nearly 20 tonnes of essential medical supplies to Bangladesh as part of Covid-19 time cooperation.
The Ambulances marked the first tranche in an overall programme of supplying 109 Life Support Ambulances, as announced by Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi during his State Visit to Bangladesh in March 2021.
The remaining units will be delivered shortly, the High Commission said.
Bangladesh-India cooperation in the health sector witnessed “another significant progress through the event”, the foreign ministry said.
High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami formally handed over those ambulances and medical supplies to the government of Bangladesh at the State Guest House Padma.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen received those on behalf of the government.
The medical supplies provided in this ceremony included Oxygen nasal cannula, Oxygen face masks, Oxygen flow meters, Non-rebreather Mask, pulse oximeter devices, high flow nasal cannulas, Liquid Medical Oxygen cylinders of 10 Ltr capacity, LMO Cylinders of 45 ltrs capacity, Oxygen concentrators and infra thermometers.
These supplies are intended to further support the Government of Bangladesh’s extensive efforts to combat the COVID pandemic and beyond, the High Commission said.
Even after the pandemic, the Ambulances are intended to support Bangladesh’s ongoing and strong efforts to upgrade public health services. These Ambulances therefore reflect India’s unswerving and long-term commitment to its unique and special friendship with the Bangladeshi people.
“As our ties transcend even strategic partnerships, India remains ready to further support the Government and people of Bangladesh in their own resolute responses to public health emergencies, within the limits of India’s own capacity, and in a manner that is sustainable and people-centric.”
“Whenever we are in critical problem, it is India which comes forward to help us,” the foreign minister said while expressing his gratitude to the neighbour for its continued cooperation in combating the pandemic.
India recently supplied oxygen to Bangladesh. “Bangladesh and India have been working together in partnership since the outbreak of the pandemic,” he said.
The foreign minister expressed his hope India would start giving the pledged COVID-19 vaccine to Bangladesh soon as per the commitment under a commercial agreement.
The High Commissioner said India would resume its vaccine supply abroad as soon as the internal crisis was over and Bangladesh would get the jabs as per commitment as New Delhi’s “priority partner”.
“India remains committed to doing all it can as a close partner, and a civilizational friend, within the limits of our capacity and in a manner that is sustainable,” he said.
The envoy said India consistently prioritized regional and international cooperation including through policy measures, capacity building, and cross-border flows of medical supplies, as part of "humanity’s fight against this coronavirus".
“We have and will continue to prioritize our most cherished partnerships with our closest neighbours, especially Bangladesh,” Doraiswami said.
Earlier, Bangladesh gifted Remdesivir and other Covid-19 related medicines symbolising mutual cooperation when India experienced an unprecedented spike of Covid-19 infection.
