Bhubaneswar: US Vice President Kamala Harris on 7 May, delivered a statement of solidarity with #India, stating that the United States is determined to help India in its hour of need as the country witnesses a surge of COVID19 infections.
Vice President Kamala Harris
State Department Diaspora Outreach Event
on U.S. COVID Relief for India
Friday, May 7, 2021
As delivered
Good afternoon.
I am honored to be with you.
For years, diaspora groups like Indiaspora and the American India Foundation have built bridges between the United States and India. And this past year, you have provided vital contributions to COVID-19 relief efforts.
Thank you for your work.
As many of you know, generations of my family come from India. My mother was born and raised in India. And I have family members who live in India today. The welfare of India is critically important to the United States.
The surge of COVID-19 infections and deaths in India is nothing short of heartbreaking. To those of you who have lost loved ones, I send my deepest condolences. As soon as the dire nature of the situation became apparent, our Administration took action.
On Monday, April 26, President Joe Biden spoke with the Prime Minister to offer our support. By Friday, April 30, U.S. military members and civilians were delivering relief on the ground.
Already, we have delivered refillable oxygen cylinders, with more to come. We have delivered oxygen concentrators, with more to come. We have delivered N95 masks, and have more ready to send. We have delivered doses of Remdesivir to treat COVID patients.
Meanwhile, we have announced our full support for suspending patents on COVID-19 vaccines – to help India and other nations vaccinate their people more quickly. India and the United States have the greatest number of COVID-19 cases in the world.
At the beginning of the pandemic, when our hospital beds were stretched, India sent assistance. And today, we are determined to help India in its hour of need.
We do this as friends of India, as members of the Asian Quad, and as part of the
global community. I believe that if we continue to work together – across nations and sectors – we will all get through this.
Together.
Thank you.
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