India on Friday launched ‘Operation Amistad’ to send relief material to earthquake-hit Venezuela.
Two Indian Air Force C-17 transport planes, carrying doctors, a portable field hospital, equipment and supplies, took off from the Hindon Air Base, near Delhi.
‘Amistad’ is Spanish for ‘friendship’. Venezuela is a Spanish-speaking country in South America.
En route, the IAF planes will refuel in Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) on the west coast of Africa.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar posted on X, “Two IAF C17s took off today for Venezuela with urgent assistance to support their post-earthquake relief efforts. The assistance contains an Indian Army Field Hospital Unit and over 35 tons of relief supplies, medicines and medical equipment.”
India is committed to supporting the government and people of Venezuela in this difficult time, Jaishankar added.
A key initiative is the portable self-contained field hospital called the BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog, Hita & Maitri) Cube.
The BHISHM Cube is a state-of-the-art, indigenous, rapidly deployable modular medical facility designed specifically for disaster and humanitarian response. Comprising compact, self-contained medical modules, it can be quickly assembled into a fully functional field hospital capable of delivering advanced trauma care, emergency surgeries, intensive care support and essential medical treatment for up to 200 patients. Equipped with portable ventilators, patient monitors, diagnostic equipment, surgical instruments, power generation and oxygen support systems, the BHISHM Cube enhances India’s capability to provide swift and effective medical assistance during crises anywhere in the world.
Indian Army’s specialised medical contingent will assist in humanitarian relief efforts in the affected region. The medical team from 60 Para Field Hospital is on board the IAF planes.
The contingent comprises 41 personnel, including nine medical officers, and is equipped to provide emergency medical care, trauma management, life-saving surgical support and other essential health care services to the affected.
The Army team is carrying approximately six tonnes of medical stores and humanitarian relief supplies provided by the Ministry of External Affairs.
