United Nations offers 'assistance of integrated supply chain' to India amid COVID crisis

As India continues to battle the deadly coronavirus, the United Nations (UN) has offered the assistance of its integrated supply chain and said that it was “willing to help” in whatever way it can. On April 28, India registered over 3,60,960 cases pushing the overall caseload to an overwhelming tally of 1,79,97,267. Meanwhile, 3,293 people succumbed to the viral infection, taking the nationwide death toll to 2,01,187.

‘Not required at this time'

Speaking to media reporters in Geneva, Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that they were in touch with the Indian administration over the COVID-19 situation in the country at various levels. Furthermore, he emphasized that Geneva had already offered assistance on the integrated supply chain. But, he added, New Delhi declined the offer stressing that it "wasn’t required at this time" and that the country had a "robust system" to deal with the crisis. "But our offer still stands," he said.

“we offered the assistance of our integrated supply chain if it was required. We've been told at this point that it's not needed because India has a reasonably robust system to deal with this. But our offer stands, and we're willing to help in whatever way we can.”

UN is also making sure that its own staff, whether international or national, in India are taken care of so that they don’t place a burden on the healthcare system of India. "Luckily we've maintained a very low level of cases," adding that the UN was making sure that it remained this way in the future as well.

Asked if India could expect aid shipments from the UN in the near future, Haq said "none have been sought so far, but like I said, we do have people, including our people who deal with operational and logistical issues who are willing to help, if we're needed, and we're in touch with our counterparts in India to see whether that will be useful,” he added.

Just yesterday, US President Joe Biden said that he spoke at length with the Indian Prime Minister and the US would be sending immediate help to India to battle against the COVID crisis in the country. "We are sending immediately a whole series of help that it (India) needs including providing Remdesivir and other drugs that can deal with Coronavirus and help patients recover," the US President added. 

(Image Credits: AP/ANI)