Malaysia urged to help India on humanitarian grounds

 

While India battles with a devastating second wave Covid-19 pandemic, Malaysians have been urged to assist the people there by donating medical items including the much-needed medical oxygen and related supplies.

The adviser for the Malaysian Indian Network of Entrepreneurs Association S Gopinath said it is time to stand in solidarity with India as the country continues to grapple with the pandemic, where its health infrastructure is overwhelmed by the rising infections.

“The Malaysian government, too, is urged to facilitate the mobilisation of the much-needed medical-related assistance to India on humanitarian grounds.

“This is important as it will reflect Malaysia’s commitment towards the international community in facilitating medical aid,” he said.

Gopinath said there should be an effective mobilisation of medical supplies to India and the Royal Malaysian Air Force base in Subang can serve as a one-stop logistics centre in collecting and dispatching the aid donated by Malaysians.

He said the RMAF can deploy its air assets and personnel to India to deliver the items and this gesture will be a testament to the India-Malaysia strategic partnership and friendship that goes back to 1957.

India is facing an unprecedented surge in Covid-19 cases, where over the weekend it became the first country in the world to report more than 400,000 new infections in a single day.

The country, struggling with a shortage of medical oxygen generators and other supplies, has reported double and triple mutant virulent variants of the virus, which prompted many nations to suspend flights from India.

The South Asian nation has registered nearly 20 million Covid-19 cases and about 219,000 related deaths, overwhelming the country's healthcare infrastructure and the facilities to manage with the dead.

Last Friday, Singapore transported 256 oxygen cylinders on board two C-130 air force planes to West Bengal, India, to help the country address its unprecedented oxygen crisis arising from the second wave of infections.

- Bernama