On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court said that the Centre should look beyond its own hospitals while distributing foreign aid and submit a chart showing distribution.
In the last one week, the Delhi Airport has received as many as 262 ventilators, 1,434 cylinders, 160 oxygen concentrators and 1,000 tocilizumab injections from countries like Finland, Oman, Poland and Canada. A Delhi government official said, “We are in the process of receiving a few items.”
Delhi Airport officials said that the aid is taken to the airport’s transhipment hub and is sent out after customs and clearances. An official said, “Customs have been very quick and efficient and no shipment is in the hub for more than 24 hours. Most of them have been sent for the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) based in Delhi. Since it is all pre-planned, the route is already prepared and the concerned organisation picks up the consignment from the airport.”
According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare SOP for receiving donations from abroad, the IRCS is the consignee for all consignments received via the MEA and coming as donations from foreign countries. The IRCS then hands the consignments over to the Government of India.
On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court said that the Centre should look beyond its own hospitals while distributing foreign aid and submit a chart showing distribution. The Delhi government had informed the court that foreign aid started coming in after May 5, after repeated reminders. The Centre, however, said that there had been no discrimination while distributing foreign aid.
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