In the wake of the acute shortage of oxygen cylinders and concentrators for patients suffering from COVID-19, logistics and supply chain unicorn said that it will be flying two planes from China to provide logistical support for importing oxygen concentrators.
Delhivery’s co-founder Sahil Barua announced in a Linkedin post: “We are flying charters into India with oxygen concentrators and other essential supplies and can build more capacity on-demand”.
One of Delhivery’s executives further tweeted that, that the flight will take place most likely on Wednesday and Friday to import oxygen compressors, and that the company is doing this at minimal margins for compressors and other essentials, and have a spare capacity as things stand. In case the demand far exceeds the current supply, he said that the company can arrange for additional flights as well. The interested people can contact the company at ceo@delhivery.com.
With the number of daily COVID-19 cases reaching 3.46 lakh, the second COVID-19 wave has put India’s entire healthcare system under immense stress. Over the past two months, the outbreak in India has exploded, with reports of super spreader gatherings, oxygen shortages, and medicine scarcity.
The Finance Ministry’s CBIC, on April 24, directed its field officers to clear all import consignments, including life-saving drugs and oxygen equipment that is used in COVID-19 treatment, on the highest priority amid a surge in infections across the country. Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) said the decision is aimed at ensuring that all such materials and equipment reach the intended beneficiaries within the shortest possible time.
Earlier this week, Tata Group announced that it was importing cryogenic containers to transport liquid oxygen. In a similar initiative to address the oxygen shortage, Tata Steel also announced that it will supply 200-300 tons of liquid medical oxygen to various state governments and hospitals.
