As the number of coronavirus cases surges in India, the shortage of medical equipment has already been reported from various parts of the country. Amid the situation, reports suggest that India exported 90 tons of protective gear to Serbia over the weekend.
Over the last couple of days, India has seen a sudden spike in the number of COVID-19 patients. The numbers crossed the 1,500 mark as the Tablighi Jamaat became the new hotspot of the outbreak in the country. India is currently in its 4th week of pandemic and as early as the second week, self-recorded videos of doctors and nurses asking for protective equipment went viral.
90 Tons Exported
Despite the shortfalls, the latest report suggests that India has exported over 90 tons of medical equipment to Serbia. According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Serbia is said to have imported protective gear from different parts of India.
In a social media message, the UN Development Programme in Serbia said that the entire activity was funded by the European Union while UNDP and Serbia arranged the flight and ensure the fastest possible delivery. This has triggered the debate on social media in the country as the country itself was in shortage of medical supply with medical professionals crying out for help.
The Ministry of External Affairs is yet to publish details on all the items purchased by the Serbian government. As per the available information from the Customs suggest that there were at least 35 lakh pairs of sterile surgical gloves. In the past few weeks, the Indian government has stopped the export of medical equipment as the demand in the country soared. India also is looking to procure equipment from China and South Korea in the near future. Even in the Prime Minister’s video conference with 130 India envoys across the world, there was a discussion on the shortage of essential medical gears for the doctors in the front line.
India saw a steep rise in the number of cases as it stands at 1657 confirmed cases with Maharashtra crossing the 300 figure mark. The death toll has reached 50 and the number of people discharged after recovering is 150. The National Capital Delhi also crossed 100 confirmed cases while only one patient is in the intensive care unit.
