Hyderabad, May 26 (IANS) GMR Hyderabad Air Cargo (GHAC) has handled more than 11,000 oxygen concentrators and over 100 tonnes of Covid vaccines so far.

Starting from May 1, more than 11,500 units of oxygen concentrators have been brought into Hyderabad from across the globe and from other cities in India, GHAC said on Wednesday.

The shipments have arrived on both scheduled flights as well as special charters as nations, governments, airlines, airports, customs, freight forwarders, ground handlers and all stakeholder joined together to rush the much needed equipment into India.

GHAC has constituted a special task force comprising customs authorities, airlines, freight forwarders and other stakeholders to ensure speedy clearance and handling of Covid relief material consignments.

Recently, GHAC facilitated a large shipment of oxygen concentrators which were donated to Telangana government by a private organization. Telangana's minister for municipal administration & urban development, industry & commerce and information technology, and Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar received them at the Cargo terminal.

GMR Ever since the Covid-19 breakout, GHAC has been in the forefront in the fight against the pandemic. It has been continuously working towards efficient handling and distribution of Covid relief materials. It seamlessly handled several freighters carrying Vaccines, medical equipment and Covid relief material like PPE Kits, masks, sanitizers etc.

Of late there has been a big surge in the movement of oxygen concentrators into Hyderabad to meet the medical demands due to the pandemic.

Apart from oxygen concentrators, GHAC successfully handled two shipments of Sputnik V vaccines from Russia. 1.5 lakh doses on May 1, which was the nation's first Sputnik V consignment and 60,000 doses on May 16, which required specialised handling and procedures to maintain temperature integrity (-20 degrees C).

Hyderabad region is set to be the single largest concentration of Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing capacities globally, with an estimated 3.6 billion doses of various makes of vaccines expected to be produced by facilities in the region over the next 18-24 months.

Starting January 2021, GHAC has handled more than 100 tonnes of Covid vaccines that were distributed from Hyderabad to various parts of the country.
Gearing up to meet the anticipated surge in movement of Covid vaccines and relief material at Hyderabad, GHAC has been expanding its landside and airside facilities and streamlining processes to meet the unique requirements for vaccine shipments and temp-controlled pharmaceuticals.

The existing Pharma zone facility is being expanded to almost double the area and the capacities of all temperature zones viz. 15-25 degrees, 2-8 degrees and -20 degrees Celsius, are increased. It is also introducing a 'Cold Super Store' as part of the extended pharma zone to mitigate any temperature excursions during unloading of pharma shipments.

--IANS ms/in