Saudi Arabia sends oxygen to India to overcome acute shortage

The urgent supply shipment is being undertaken in coordination with India’s Adani group and Linde company. (Twitter: Indian Embassy Riyadh)
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Updated 26 April 2021
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Saudi Arabia sends oxygen to India to overcome acute shortage

  • Indian thanks Saudi Arabia 'for all its help, support and cooperation'
  • First shipment on its way from Dammam to Mundra in Gujarat

NEW DELHI: Saudi Arabia on Sunday shipped 80 metric tons of oxygen to India to alleviate acute shortages of the lifesaving gas due to the record surge in coronavirus infections in India.

On Sunday India reported almost 350,000 corona cases.

The Saudi supply of oxygen has been in cooperation with the Indian conglomerate, Adani Group, and the British chemical multinational, Linde.

“The Embassy of India is proud to partner with Adani Group and M/s Linde in shipping much-needed 80 metric tons of liquid oxygen to India”, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh tweeted on Sunday.

It thanked Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health “for all its help, support and cooperation.”

Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani tweeted: “The first shipment of 4 ISO cryogenic tanks with 80 tons of liquid oxygen is now on its way from Dammam (port in Saudi Arabia) to Mundra (port in western state of Gujarat).”

The second pandemic wave has hit India very hard and led to a daily surge of over 300,000 cases. Many Indian cities, including the capital New Delhi, have been overwhelmed by patients which has resulted in shortages of hospital beds and oxygen causing thousands of deaths throughout the country.

The shortage of oxygen in hospitals has led to the death of nearly 50 people in two hospitals in the capital since Thursday.

Delhi’s requirements come to 700 metric tons of oxygen per day but it is receiving only 380 which has forced many hospitals in the city to operate far below capacity.

“We have the capacity to accommodate 260 patients in the hospital but the irregular and uncertain supply of oxygen has forced us to under-utilize our capacity,” Dr. P.K. Bhardwaj, the  director of the Delhi-based Saroj multispeciality hospital, told Arab News.

The medical director of the central Delhi-based Moolchand Medcity Hospital, Dr. Sudha Handa, told Arab News it was “on tenterhooks all the time regarding the oxygen supply.”

The shortage has also been felt in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh which is the second worst affected state in India with over 37,000 cases on Sunday and over 200 fatalities. The western Indian state of Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state, is also reeling under an acute shortage of oxygen; hospitals in some of the state’s major cities have had to refuse patients who were in desperate need of both beds and oxygen.

To respond to the crisis, on Friday India launched an “oxygen maitri” or “oxygen friendship” operation to reach out to various countries in order to procure the lifesaving gas.

On Saturday, the Indian Air Force brought four cryogenic tanks to be used for transporting oxygen from Singapore.

The Indian Home Ministry on Friday said that it was in talks for the import of high-capacity oxygen-carrying tankers from Singapore and the UAE.

Former ambassador and international affairs expert, Anil Trigunayat, has expressed his appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s gesture toward India in crisis. “We greatly appreciate this friendly gesture from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” Trigunayat told Arab News.

“Saudi Arabia is a strategic partner of India and as a friend, it has risen to the occasion when India is experiencing an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 which has stressed India’s medical infrastructure because of a shortage in oxygen supplies,” he said.

“India also stands by all its friends in their times of crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic is one in which the world has to take a global stance which both Delhi and Riyadh worked on during the Saudi Presidency of the G20.”

 


Saudi ambassador meets Bahrain King’s media affairs adviser

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Saudi ambassador meets Bahrain King’s media affairs adviser

Saudi Ambassador to Bahrain Naif bin Bandar Al-Sudairi was received by Nabeel bin Yacoub Al-Hamer, media affairs adviser to the King of Bahrain, in Manama on Wednesday.

The adviser expressed his pride in the solid fraternal relations and deep-rooted historical ties that bind the two countries, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

He also wished Al-Sudairi continued success in his duties, which will further support and strengthen the fraternal ties, mutual coordination, and close cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in various fields, and particularly in the media.


 


Saudi commission expands music access for people with disabilities

Updated 45 min 39 sec ago
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Saudi commission expands music access for people with disabilities

  • Push for accessible arts programming reflects wider goals for social development

MAKKAH: Saudi Arabia’s Music Commission has launched a national initiative to expand access to music education for people with disabilities, marking a key step toward their greater inclusion in the Kingdom’s cultural landscape.

Focused on Riyadh, Jeddah and Alkhobar, the program trains instructors to teach students with physical and cognitive disabilities.

It supports the ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030, which seeks to elevate quality of life and ensure opportunities for all segments of society.

Music education expert Issa Al-Qarbi praised the initiative as a transformative step in supporting individuals with disabilities.

“Music is a highly effective medium for stimulating brain activity, developing motor and social skills, and enhancing overall psychological well-being,” he said.

The initiative includes adapting teaching methods, specialized curricula and fully accessible learning environments aligned with the requirements of the Mowaamah certification, a program which provides support to increase participation among disabled individuals in the labor market.

In designing the program, the commission partnered with international experts in music on the curricula and programs that align with global best practices.

The existing models were reviewed using the standards set by the National Association for Music Education.

The commission’s goal is to empower students to express themselves through music, boost their self-confidence and enhance their social, cognitive and motor skills.

The students will receive extended training that prepares them for group performances while supporting their artistic, cognitive and social development. Sessions with parents and community members are also being planned to raise awareness and encourage family engagement.

Al-Qarbi said that long-term sustainability and lasting impacts could be ensured by closer partnerships between the education and healthcare sectors.

He praised the initiative as a regional model, opening the door to further research and innovation.

He said that teaching music to individuals with disabilities went beyond technical skills, nurturing essential personal qualities such as patience, discipline and social engagement, which in turn positively influenced many areas of their lives.


Saudi surgeons separate Egyptian child from parasitic twin

Updated 44 min 52 sec ago
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Saudi surgeons separate Egyptian child from parasitic twin

  • Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah says operation is one of the most delicate carried out by his team
  • Procedure takes 8 hours and involves multidisciplinary team of 26 consultants

RIYADH: A medical team from the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program successfully completed a surgical procedure on Wednesday to separate an Egyptian child from a parasitic twin.

The operation on 8-month-old Mohammed Abdulrahman Juma at King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital in Riyadh took eight hours and was split into six stages. It involved a multidisciplinary team of 26 consultants, including specialists in anesthesia, neurosurgery, pediatrics and plastic surgery.

A parasitic twin, also known as a vestigial twin, is an identical twin that stopped developing during gestation and is physically attached to a fully developed twin. Because it did not fully develop, it cannot survive on its own and often dies in the womb or during birth.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, who heads the surgical team and is an advisor at the royal court and supervisor general of Saudi aid agency KSrelief, said the twins were joined at the back, lower chest, abdomen and pelvis. The parasitic twin lacked a head and essential organs, including a heart and kidneys.

Al-Rabeeah described the operation as one of the most delicate his team has been involved with, and thanked his colleagues for their efficiency and skill during the surgery, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Mohammed and his parents flew to Saudi Arabia in March after King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman issued directives for medics in the Kingdom to help the child.

The operation on Wednesday was the 63rd separation procedure carried out under the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, which has reviewed 149 cases of patients from 27 countries since its inception in 1990.


Saudi foreign minister discusses ties with American counterpart ahead of Trump’s visit

Updated 07 May 2025
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Saudi foreign minister discusses ties with American counterpart ahead of Trump’s visit

  • Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Marco Rubio held a phone call on Wednesday
  • Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji spoke with his American counterpart Christopher Landau

RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan reviewed ties and strategic partnership with the US during a phone call with Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, on Wednesday.

The officials discussed the latest regional and international developments, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

In a separate phone call, Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji discussed issues of common interest with US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau.

Saudi Arabia is set to receive President Donald Trump on his trip to the Middle East next week.


Saudi Arabia welcomes US-Houthi ceasefire deal

Updated 07 May 2025
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Saudi Arabia welcomes US-Houthi ceasefire deal

  • The Kingdom reiterated its support for all efforts toward a comprehensive political solution to the Yemeni crisis

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia welcomed the statement from the Sultanate of Oman announcing a ceasefire agreement in Yemen aimed at safeguarding international navigation and trade.

The Kingdom reiterated its support for all efforts toward a comprehensive political solution to the Yemeni crisis that ensures security and stability for Yemen and the wider region.

The US and the Houthis agreed a ceasefire, mediators announced, saying the deal would ensure "freedom of navigation" in the Red Sea where the Houthis have attacked shipping for months.
The agreement comes after President Donald Trump announced that the US would end attacks against the Houthis after they agreed to stop harassing ships, though he made no direct mention of recent attacks on ally Israel.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi on Tuesday said that "following recent discussions and contacts... with the aim of de-escalation, efforts have resulted in a ceasefire agreement between the two sides".