India sends medical assistance to Kiribati amid logistical challenges

New Delhi: In a significant and swift move in the Pacific region, India has delivered a consignment of medical supplies, including PPEs and medications to Kiribati on February 12 despite logistical challenges. 

Since the Pacific island nation is logistically isolated, the Indian government had to seek assistance from Australian government for flight coordination. 

Among the supplies the Indian government has sent include Pulse Oximeters, Specimen bags for swabs, Swabs with VTM, PPE kits (surgical masks, gloves, N95 masks, shoe covers, hair caps) and emergency Covid-19 medication supplies. 

The medical supplies would help the Pacific island country to mitigate the Covid-19 outbreak. “Despite the logistical challenges in reaching the isolated Pacific Island country, the medical supplies from India were put together and despatched in a short span of time,” an official statement said.

Since the pandemic broke out in 2020, India has been helping many countries across the globe in supplying essential medicines and other materials. India has supplied Made in India vaccines to around 100 countries since January 2021. 

The consignment of medical supplies to Kiribati affirms India’s commitment to provide Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) support as an early responder in the Pacific region, it said. 

India remains committed to extend full support to Kiribati’s national efforts in mitigating the challenges arising from the pandemic, the statement further added.