Businesses in the region are being encouraged to offer support where they can to India during its Covid-19 crisis.

With shortages of oxygen, hospital beds and medicine in Delhi, and many other cities in the world’s second-most populous country, due to a devastating second wave, there are specific urgent needs that could be plugged by East Midlands companies with access to those resources. They include:

• Empty, refillable oxygen cylinders with between 10 litres and 45 litres liquid medical oxygen (LMO) capacity
• Oxygen concentrators
• In-situ oxygen manufacturing plants for hospitals
• Remdesivir, an antiviral medication used in treating Covid-19

More than 200,000 people are reported to have died from coronavirus in India – although the real figure is believed to be much higher – with 3,293 deaths reported in the most recent 24-hour period.

East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles has joined the rest of the British Chambers of Commerce network in launching an appeal, alongside the UK India Business Council (UKIBC) and charity UNICEF, for the business community to support where possible.

He said: “Many of us will have seen the truly heart-breaking media reports showing the devastating impact of the second wave of Covid-19 in India.

“While the UK Government is considering how it will support with much-needed supplies, we believe the business community can step up in the meantime – just as we have rallied before in the battle against coronavirus.

“In our #EMComingTogether campaign launched at the beginning of the pandemic, in which we helped to link up companies with access to PPE to the local and national organisations that needed supplies, we were hugely inspired by the number of firms that came forward during a challenging period.

“Once again, we’re asking businesses to rally round and get behind the campaigns by UKIBC and UNICEF. There may well be companies within our region that are able to help source these crucial items that will save countless lives and enable India to get through this crisis.”

Anyone able to offer support with any of the urgent needs should explain how they can help by contacting the UKIBC at covidsupport@ukibc.com or UNICEF at rmpindia@unicef.org.