New Delhi: India on Saturday shipped a consignment of six-bedded container-based Dialysis Unit to help strengthen the healthcare system of Kiribati, an island country in the central Pacific Ocean. “Standing together with the Pacific Islands family – helping strengthen the healthcare system of Kiribati. Fulfilling India’s commitment made at FIPIC III Summit: a consignment of six-bedded container-based Dialysis Unit departed from Mundra Port for Tarawa, Kiribati,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) posted on X. In May 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and James Marape, his counterpart from Papua New Guinea, co-hosted the third summit of the Forum for India Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) in Port Moresby. The unique platform brings together India and 14 Pacific Island countries, including Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Niue, Republic of Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. FIPIC was launched in Fiji in 2014 during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the country and has helped deepen considerably India’s engagement with the Pacific Island Countries (PIC) across various domains and as per priorities which are set by the FIPIC countries. During the Summit, PM Modi had also announced a 12-step action plan to strengthen the India-PIC partnership which including setting up a 100-bed regional super specialty hospital in Fiji; setting up of regional IT and cyber security training hub in Papua New Guinea; Sagar Amrit Scholarships, 1000 scholarships spread over the next five years across the range of areas that are priority for the Pacific Island countries; Jaipur Foot Camp to be organised in Papua New Guinea and thereafter two camps annually in various countries of the Pacific; FIPIC SME development project; solarization project for government buildings across the Pacific Island countries; desalination units for drinking water; supply of sea ambulances to the countries of the Pacific Island; setting up of dialysis units; setting up of 24×7 emergency helpline; setting up of Jan Aushadhi Kendra, to make cost-effective and efficient pharmaceuticals available to the Pacific Island countries; and setting up of yoga centres. The MEA has in the past outlined Prime Minister Modi’s vision of India’s engagement with FIPIC that has got structured ever since the first summit, which was organised in 2014. “India regards the countries of the FIPIC as very important members of the countries of the Global South. Those countries of the Global South which because of the geographical location that they are in have certain priorities which are relating to their own developmental objectives, have certain concerns which emanate out of problems of climate change, out of issues of the sea level rise, marine pollution, which was significantly mentioned,” then Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said during Prime Minister’s visit to Papua New Guinea in May 2023. In 2022, responding to the appeal of the Government of Kiribati seeking offers of support to assist in its national efforts to manage the first Covid-19 outbreak in the Pacific Island country, the Government of India had sent a consignment of medical supplies containing PPEs and medications to Kiribati. The relief material sent by India included pulse oximeters, swabs with VTM, specimen bags for swabs, PPE kits (surgical masks, gloves, N-95 masks, shoe covers, hair caps) and emergency Covid-19 medication supplies. Despite the logistical challenges in reaching the isolated Pacific Island country, the medical supplies from India were put together and despatched in a short span of time. The consignment reached Kiribati onboard a flight coordinated by the Australian Government. “The consignment of medical supplies to Kiribati affirms India’s commitment to provide Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) support as an early responder in the Pacific region. India remains committed to extend full support to Kiribati’s national efforts in mitigating the challenges arising from the pandemic,” MEA stated.
