India rushes Covid-19 medical team to Kuwait, says ready to help Gulf countries

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Updated: Apr 11, 2020 21:06 IST

The Indian Air Force on Saturday flew down a 15-member medical team to Kuwait to help tackle the increasing spread of coronavirus infection. The army team was sent after Kuwait Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah called Prime Minister Narendra Modi for assistance.

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar had followed up on this phone conversation and later asked Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat to organise a military team of doctors and healthcare professionals.

Jaishankar made the announcement on Twitter soon after the air force’s C 130 Hercules transporter landed in Kuwait. “India’s rapid response team arrives in Kuwait,” he said.

A South Block official said Prime Minister Modi had instructed Jaishankar to send the team to assess the level of infection after the call from Kuwait PM on April 1.

“This is because of the special relationship between India and the Gulf countries. At a time when each country is for its own, India cannot let its Gulf allies down,” said a senior official.

According to officials, more teams would be sent if required.

Indians constitute the largest group of expatriates with an estimated population of about 10 lakh in the State of Kuwait.

A foreign ministry statement said the medical team is expected to stay in Kuwait for two weeks during which it will render medical assistance in testing and treatment of the afflicted persons and training their personnel.

India has already supplied Hydroxy-Choloroquine to Bahrain after the King spoke to PM Modi on April 6. PM Modi also asked the Sultan of Oman during an April 7 telephonic conversation about any medical requirements.