US working closely with India on COVID-19 crisis: White House
May 12, 2021 09:40
The United States is working closely with India on its continued and emerging needs during the unprecedented second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, a top State Department official has said.
While the assistance from the US government has been worth USD 100 million, the private sector has donated an additional USD 400 million, totalling half a billion dollars to India, State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at his daily news conference on Tuesday.
"We are continuing to work closely with Indian officials and health experts to identify continued needs and emerging needs in this ongoing crisis," he said.
"I was talking about our catalytic effect in another context earlier Secretary (of State) Tony Blinken, Special Coordinator Gayle Smith participated in calls the other week with the US India Business Council and the Chamber of Commerce in an effort to elicit additional supplies from the private sector, which we'd be terrifically gratified to see," Price said.
Earlier in the day, top American senator Mark Warner spoke with India's ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu and assured his full commitment for the assistance to India.
"India right now is at the epicenter of COVID-19. This morning I spoke with the Indian ambassador and pledged to do our part to help the Indian people respond to the surge. I will continue working with the Biden administration on this," Warner said after the call.
Warner is Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
"Thanked him for his strong support for India during this challenging time," Sandhu tweeted.
Congressman Andy Levin said that more needs to be done for India.
"We cannot lose sight of the catastrophe wracking India right now. While the US is starting to work to make vaccines more accessible, we must do more. The Indian people need equipment and other tools now to end this crisis," he said.
Meanwhile, the 4th consignment of more than 78,000 doses of Remdesivir from Gilead Sciences reached India.
"More than 2,61,000 have reached so far, in addition to US Government support of around 1,25,000 doses. More to follow!" the Indian envoy tweeted.
Congresswoman Deborah Ross said that helping India respond to this latest wave is humane and is in the US' national interest as this pandemic will not end anywhere until it ends everywhere. -- PTI
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