India is in the middle of a humanitarian crisis.
With daily new cases touching 3.55 lakh and deaths surging past 2,000-mark over the past few days, India is in the worst phase of the coronavirus pandemic.
Hospital ICUs are overcrowded and people are scrambling for cremation grounds.?
Amidst the gloom, the support from countries across the globe seems like a glimmer of hope.
The first consignment of aid left the UK on Sunday and is due to arrive in India on Tuesday. Further shipments will take place later in the week.
The aid includes 495 oxygen concentrators - which can extract oxygen from the air when hospital oxygen systems have run out - as well as 120 non-invasive ventilators and 20 manual ventilators.
"We stand side by side with India as a friend and partner during what is a deeply concerning time in the fight against Covid-19," UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a statement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday spoke to US President Joe Biden and thanked him for all the support his country is providing India in its battle against the Covid.?
Earlier in the day, the US Ambassador to the UN said the US will ˇ°work around the clockˇ± to help India as it fights a ˇ°devastatingˇ± spike in COVID-19 cases. The US has pledged help, including sending across raw materials for vaccines, ventilators, oxygen generation supplies and financial support for vaccine expansion.
"Had a fruitful conversation with Joe Biden today. We discussed the evolving COVID situation in both countries in detail. I thanked President Biden for the support being provided by the United States to India,ˇ± PM Modi had tweeted.
Australia has announced that it will send oxygen, ventilators and personal protective equipment (PPE) kits to India as part of an immediate support package.
Russia is planning to send COVID-19 assistance including oxygen concentrators, generators, and drugs needed to treat the virus.
The country has also announced? that it would send 3,00,000-4,00,000 units of Remdesivir injection.
The government of Pakistan is sending ventilators, PPEs, and other relief material to India.
ˇ°As a gesture of solidarity with the people of India in the wake of the current wave of COVID-19, Pakistan has offered to provide relief support to India including ventilators, Bi PAP, digital X ray machines, PPEs, and related items,ˇ± a government spokesperson said in an April 25 statement.
Social welfare organisation Edhi Foundation has expressed to send a fleet of 50 ambulances manned by Pakistani health professionals to help in IndiaˇŻs pandemic response.
They are awaiting clearance from the PM Modi-led government.
Despite border tensions between the two countries, China has pledged support to India in this time of crisis.
Air India has airlifted 800 oxygen concentrators from Hong Kong to Delhi. According to a tweet by the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka, 10,000 more oxygen concentrators will land in India in a week.
The Indian Air Force picked up four cryogenic oxygen tanks donated by Singapore on April 24.
Ireland has joined a growing list of countries helping India tide over the coronavirus crisis as it announced sending 700 oxygen concentrators and other medical supplies to the country.
"Ireland is sending 700 oxygen concentrators to India to help healthcare workers in providing timely aid to patients. The concentrators are expected to reach India by Wednesday early morning," it said.
Irish ambassador Brendan Ward said Ireland is in close contact with the Indian government and that it is looking at more assistance to India in dealing with the pandemic.
During times of distress, such humanitarian help from these countries show it takes a concerted effort from everyone to win the battle against COVID.