Amazon joins US Chamber of Commerce’s Global Task Force to send ventilators to help India combat COVID-19
Amazon announced that it is working with NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), who are defining the distribution plan for 1,000 Medtronic ventilators. It is also fully funding the first lot of 100 ventilators.
Amazon, in collaboration with USIBC, is working with NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) to plan out the distribution of ventilators in India. Starting May 5, Amazon is looking to deliver 1,000 Medtronic ventilators to India.
The blog posted on Amazon stated - "Amazon is fully funding the first lot of 100 ventilators; these are arriving in India starting today and will be sent to the hospitals with most urgent needs."
Picture for representational purposes only
“This is a severely difficult time for all of us in India. It is reassuring to see the business community come together to help the nation," said Amit Agarwal, Global SVP and Country Head, Amazon India, adding, "Together with USIBC, we are working with NITI Aayog and MoHFW to identify hospitals in the most urgent need and enable the distribution of these ventilators to help those in need across India.”
The post said - As India battles with a second, devastating COVID-19 wave, the Global Task Force on Pandemic Response, a newly-formed US-based public-private partnership organised by the US Chamber of Commerce and supported by Business Roundtable, is working with the Chamber’s US-India Business Council and the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum to take immediate actions to help address the COVID-19 surge in India.
Andy Jassy, AWS CEO and incoming CEO, Amazon is on the steering committee, along with senior executives of other US businesses. Last week, Amazon had announced that it is sponsoring the supply of 100 ICU ventilator units costing $3.8 million from the US.
"Under USIBC’s leadership, their various members have now committed to bringing in 1000 Medtronic ventilators urgently to India. Amazon’s 100 ventilators comprise the first lot under this program and are arriving in India starting today. Amazon in collaboration with USIBC is working with NITI Aayog and the MoHFW, who are defining the distribution plan for these ventilators," said the blog post.
Medtronic will manufacture the ventilators and handle end-to-end shipping, installation and ongoing and virtual training.
Edited by Kanishk Singh