We are determined to help fight COVID-19: Kamala Harris

New Delhi, May 08: US Vice President Kamala Harris at the State Department Diaspora Outreach Event on U.S. COVID Relief for India spoke about the efforts her country was making to help India in the fight against COVID-19.

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, she said.

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.