100 oxygen concentrators from Switzerland arrived at Gautam Buddha Nagar in UP

Noida: A total of 100 oxygen concentrators from Switzerland reached the rural Jewar area of Gautam Buddh Nagar in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday as aid from the European country to support the fight against COVID-19, officials said.

The foreign "humanitarian aid" has been supported by the Swiss-India Chamber of Commerce in Switzerland and Zurich Airport International AG, which is developing an airport in Jewar, they said.

The local Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) coordinated the work, including procurement of requisite approvals from the Uttar Pradesh government and the Centre, its Officer on Special Duty Shailendra Bhatia said.

"The 100 oxygen concentrators had reached Delhi on Sunday after which we got the mandatory clearances from the Customs department. Today, the concentrators reached Jewar for distribution at health care centres," Bhatia told PTI.

He said the biggest chunk of 50 concentrators has been given to Jewar's Community Health Centre (CHC), which is being converted into a 100-bedded dedicated Covid care facility by efforts of the local MLA Dhirendra Singh.

Of the remaining, 25 concentrators have been given to the Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) in Greater and 15 to the COVID Hospital in Noida, he said.

"The remaining 10 are to be distributed in the rural Dankaur and Rabupura area to strengthen oxygen support in the local health care facilities," Bhatia said.

He said the YEIDA is in touch with private companies, which are working in the region to bolster efforts in fighting the pandemic, especially in rural areas, through their CSR initiatives.

MLA Dhirendra Singh separately said he has procured 10 oxygen cylinders from Ambuja Cements and 25 fowler beds from Priya Gold company for the CHC Jewar, and efforts were underway to add more facilities there.

The MLA had earlier allocated Rs 50 lakh from his official local area development fund for conversion of the CHC into a COVID care facility after approval of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recently.

People in Delhi-NCR have been grappling with shortage of healthcare resources like hospital beds, medical oxygen and medicines as the second wave of COVID-19 tore through the region.