Chamber calls for Cumbria to assist the India Support Campaign
Cumbria Chamber of Commerce is calling on businesses in the region to step-up and support the national and international effort to help India deal with the Covid-19 crisis.
A second wave of the pandemic is having a devastating effect in the sub-continent with many of its urban areas suffering a mounting toll of cases. Hospitals in Delhi and other cities are seeing a shortage of oxygen and beds.
The United Nations agency UNICEF, the British-Asian Trust, the UKIBC (United Kingdom India Business Council) and the British Chambers of Commerce have all put out appeals for the international community to rally and address this humanitarian situation.
In line with the national and international effort, Cumbria Chamber is asking for businesses across the county that have any supplies or support such as these critical items below to get in touch.
The specific requirement is for:
- Empty, refillable Oxygen cylinders with 10 litres and 45 litres LMO capacity;
- Oxygen concentrators;
- In situ oxygen manufacturing plants for hospitals; and
- Remdesivir
India’s death toll due to Covid-19 has passed 200,000 people this week and the call for a global response has led to the UK, the European Union and the United States sending aid, the first of which arrived in India on Tuesday.
India recorded 323,144 new infections on Tuesday raising its total past 17.6 million, behind only the US.
Sad scenes have been shown on the news of people in India begging for oxygen, and the global Indian diaspora, including well over a million people in the UK are looking to respond to the crisis.
From an economic perspective there will be a huge economic impact from one of the UK’s biggest trade partners suffering such devastation.
Suzanne Caldwell, Managing Director of Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, is confident there are businesses in the region that can help.
She said: “Cumbria has proved to be a resilient community when it comes to dealing with our own devastating issues due to Covid-19, and on numerous other occasions. So I’m sure Cumbrian businesses in a position to do so will step up yet again.
“Hopefully we can demonstrate that we can not only just help our own communities but those which are in a similar grave need, despite being over the other side of the globe.
“While a specific list has been identified, if there are other items, services or support you, your supply chain or wider network can provide which could be helpful, please highlight those too.”
If any businesses are able to help, please urgently get in touch with the UKIBC at covidsupport@ukibc.com or UNICEF on rmpindia@unicef.org or call +91 8743 00 2523.
© Cumbria Chamber of Commerce