Amid India facing a shortage of medicines required for the treatment of Covid-19 in the backdrop of rising number of infections, global pharma major Pfizer announced its decision to donate USD 70 million (over Rs 510 crore) worth drugs to India.
"We are deeply concerned by the critical COVID-19 situation in India, and our hearts go out to you, your loved ones and all the people of India. We are committed to being a partner in India's fight against this disease and are quickly working to mobilize the largest humanitarian relief effort in our company's history,” said Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla in a mail sent to Pfizer India employees that he also shared on his LinkedIn profile.
This development comes in the backdrop of India logging 3,68,147 new Covid-19 infections and 3,417 fresh fatalities during the last 24 hours.
With the latest addition, India’s active cases crossed the 33-lakh mark, while the total caseload surged to 99,25,604, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.
Bourla further said that the medicines which Pfizer will be shipping to India are the ones that the Centre has identified as part of its COVID-19 treatment protocol.
"We are donating these medicines to help make sure that every Covid-19 patient in every public hospital across the country can have access to the Pfizer medicines they need free of charge," Bourla said.
These medicines, valued at more than USD 70 million, will be made available immediately, and "we will work closely with the government and our NGO partners to get them to where they are needed most," he added.
(With PTI inputs)
