In an effort to support India’s COVID-19 response, as the country faces a devastating second wave, Canada is sending medical supplies to its healthcare systems to India.

The federal government will send up to 350 much-needed ventilators from its national emergency stockpile and up to 25,000 vials of antiviral Remdesivir to help, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) said in a release on Wednesday.

This support complements Canada's work with its international partners to respond to the needs caused by the pandemic and to help save lives.

The Canadian government is also providing support through UNICEF's response to the pandemic in India with the urgent provisioning of 1,450 oxygen concentrators. The funds for these operations come partly from the $230 million contributions to the therapeutics pillar of the Access to Covid-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, announced in December 2020.

This support is in addition to Canada's $10 million support to the Canadian Red Cross Society, which is supporting the Indian Red Cross Society's procurement of essential supplies and medicines.

The supplies identified for this donation will not compromise the continued efforts of the Covid-19 response at home in Canada. The Canadian armed forces will provide airlifting support to transport these supplies to India.

"Canada continues to stand in solidarity with the people of India. We must all unite in this hour of need and work together in the global fight against this virus that is devastating lives across the globe," said an official statement quoting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marc Garneau.

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