RI Receives Oxygen Aid From The United Arab Emirates

JAKARTA - Oxygen aid from abroad has returned to Indonesia. In the early hours of this morning, oxygen aid and other medical equipment were imported from the United Arab Emirates (PEA).

"The first wave of support from PEA includes 250,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine; 450 units of 40 liter oxygen cylinders; 150 units of portable oxygen concentrators; and 20 tons of medical safety equipment such as PPE, masks, gloves," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, Friday, 16 July.

Earlier on Wednesday, July 14, oxygen concentrator assistance came from Singapore. The support includes 250 oxygen cylinders with a capacity of 50 liters, 2 ISO tanks, 570 oxygen concentrators, 600 nasal cannulas, and 600 bubble humidifiers.

Previously, Singapore also sent support in the form of 200 ventilators, 256 oxygen cylinders with a capacity of 50 liters and other medical devices and arrived in Indonesia on July 9, 2021.

"Indonesia expresses its appreciation for the support provided by the PEA and Singapore," he wrote.

As is known, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan acknowledged that the government is currently asking for international assistance in tackling the impact of COVID-19 in the country. As you know, the number of COVID-19 cases has been increasing in recent years.

"We have received international assistance, don't tell anyone not to do it, of course we have done it and this (assistance) is gradual and continues," he said at a virtual press conference, Thursday, July 15.

According to Luhut, the government has asked for help from Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, China and Australia. He explained that the international assistance provided was varied. Meanwhile, according to him, the form of assistance received is a component that cannot be handled by the current government.

"So the form is not that we don't ask for help. We ask for help, but of course help that we think we can't handle. There are various things," he said.

One example is related to oxygen. Luhut said, the government requested assistance for ISO tanks or ISO tanks from neighboring Singapore. However, in that country also experiencing the same thing as Indonesia, namely the need for oxygen is increasing.

"ISO Tanks because the world also needs it and the country also has that problem, we mobilized ISO tanks from Indonesia, now we are starting to ask for Singapore. Even Singapore is not enough, and asking other countries, such as Abu Dhabi, and also China, this is very important, to reduce the need," he said.