COVID-19: Russia aids India; Remdesivir & Consignment of 225K packs of COVID drug arrives

In view of the COVID-19 pandemic while solidarity outpouring from the world, an aircraft from Russia comprising of more than 9 tons or 225 thousand packs of anti-COVID19 medication including Remdesivir vials amongst other vital medicines arrived in India today. 

This holds relevance while several states in India are whining about the dearth of COVID-19 vaccine quota as a result, the third phase of their vaccination drive is deferred in a few. Russia has previously dispatched consignment consisting of life-saving medical aid too. The first batch comprised 1,50,000 doses of SPUTNIK V, while the remaining batches would comprise more than 3 million doses which is due this month. 

"India one of the world leaders in terms of the capacity of medicine production"

Russian Ambassador to India, Nikolay Kudashev established Russia's intentions to stand by India during these harrowing times. He took to Twitter saying, 

Russian Deputy Envoy to India Roman Babushkin said to ANI, "Our continuous humanitarian assistance shows how strong our is solidarity with the Indian people facing unprecedented COVID19 challenge. We’re also closely cooperating in the framework of multilateral formats like WHO, G20 and BRICS." 

Speaking of the newly assented COVID-19 vaccine, SPUTNIK Light, the Russian Envoy to India said 

Roman Babushkin said, "SPUTNIK Light vaccine is undergoing through 3rd phase of clinical trials & we believe that it's supplies to India & production here because India is one of the leaders in the world in terms of the capacity of medicine production is a matter of shortest time."

Developed by Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology and supported by the Russian sovereign wealth fund, SPUTNIK V has arrived in India too. 

Support for India 

Exponential hike in COVID-19 infections across India since the inception of the second wave has evidently overburdened Indian production sectors, the medical infrastructure, and thousands of frontline medical staff in the country. While COVID-19 management and curbs have been harder for India to attain, solidarity has been an outpouring from numerous countries. Amid ascending COVID-19 figures in India, media reports, and gutting images of collapsing medical infrastructure, several countries have been outpouring solidarity with India's ordeals. Previously, Ukraine, Israel, Netherlands, Romania on behalf of the European Union, United Kingdom, United States, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, China, Singapore, Bhutan amongst few that have come forward in providing assistance to India in procuring tonnes of liquid medical oxygen, transporting mobile oxygen plants, drugs, and vaccine to cater as requirements against the destructive COVID-19 second-wave.

Recently, the White House stated that the US has provided over USD 500 million in COVID-19 assistance to India.