COVID-19 surge | India declines UN’s offer of assistance from integrated supply chain, says it has ‘strong system’

India has declined assistance provided by the United Nations of its integrated supply chain for COVID19-related materials, saying the nation has a “robust system” to take care of the required logistics, a spokesperson for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres stated.

“One of the things we did is we offered the assistance of our integrated supply chain if it was required. We’ve been told at this point that it’s not needed because India has a reasonably robust system to deal with this. But our offer stands, and we’re willing to help in whatever way we can,” Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the UN Chief, stated in response to a query by PTI.

On whether or not any shipments of important supplies from UN companies are anticipated to succeed in India amid the disaster, Mr Haq stated, “none have been sought so far, but like I said, we do have people, including our people who deal with operational and logistical issues who are willing to help, if we’re needed, and we’re in touch with our counterparts in India to see whether that will be useful.”

As India battles a crippling surge in COVID-19 infections and deaths, the United Nations has been in contact at varied ranges with authorities in India.

Also learn: We have equipped extra vaccines globally than having vaccinated our personal individuals: India tells United Nations

Mr Haq stated Chef de Cabinet to the United Nations Secretary-General Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti has been in contact with India’s Permanent Representative to the UN TS Tirumurti over the COVID-19 state of affairs in India and different officers within the system have additionally been in contact with officers each right here in New York and on the bottom.

Mr Haq added that the UN can also be ensuring that its personal workers, whether or not worldwide or nationwide, in India are taken care of in order that they do not place a burden on the healthcare system of India. “And luckily, we’ve maintained a very low level of cases. So, we’ve, I think, been succeeding at trying to do that and making sure that we’re not pressuring a healthcare system that already is facing extreme challenges.” Earlier, during the daily press briefing Tuesday, Mr Haq said in India, UN colleagues on the ground continue supporting authorities and communities to tackle the impacts of the pandemic.

Also read: India sends 2,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to UNPKF

He said UN entities have been training health workers, including 10,000 nurses through UN Women initiatives and the UN team has also partnered with employers’ and workers’ organisations to promote jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities.

Mr Haq said 11 help desks and on-site counselling activities on COVID-19 prevention and business continuity were set up by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and these have benefitted over 140,000 employees. UNIDO also developed an online platform to help companies bounce back from the crisis, tailored to smaller businesses, while ILO helped over 100,000 self-employed workers to access social security measures and training on safety and health.

“We are additionally specializing in getting jobs for 10 million younger individuals,” Mr Haq stated, including that over 13,000 ladies and youth, together with returnee migrants, are being educated by entrepreneurship programmes led by UN Women and ILO.

An online portal from the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) to spice up e-commerce has benefitted 950 ladies entrepreneurs in small and medium companies.

In response to a different query concerning the resurgence of the COVID-19 variant in India and whether or not main political rallies or non secular festivals ought to be held through the pandemic, Mr Haq stated he’ll go away it to colleagues on the World Health Organisation to offer a extra formal analysis about this.

“We’ve been warning about the sort of precautions that need to be taken in every country, and certainly, we want to make sure that all of the various precautions that have been recommended by the World Health Organization are followed through by every country.” Mr Haq harassed that at this stage, one of the teachings that have to be clear is that till the COVID-19 pandemic is actually confronted and defeated in each nation, it will not be solved for any nation.

“Although there are different places that are thankfully making progress with measures, including vaccinations or local quarantines or other different precautions, we have to remain vigilant,” he said.

As the Secretary-General has made clear, “we’ve got to cooperate and nations should cooperate with one another to ensure that COVID-19 may be defeated in each nation as a result of you may all the time get areas, totally different international locations or totally different variant strains, that may, once more, trigger an enormous drawback, not only for one nation however for areas and, in the end, for the world,” Mr Haq stated.

Expressing fear over the surging coronavirus instances in India, President of the UN General Assembly stated it is time for the world to increase assist and assist to the nation, which had equipped essential COVID19 vaccines to weak nations.

“I’m worried about the #COVID19 situation in India, a country which did so much to ensure #Vaccines4All in vulnerable countries. It’s time for the world to extend aid & support to India. No one’s safe until we’re all safe,” President of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly Volkan Bozkir tweeted Tuesday.

He added that his thoughts are with the people of India at this time.

India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Tirumurti replied to Mr Bozkir’s tweet, saying India deeply appreciates “your sentiments and solidarity at this juncture.”