Kingston, Nov 7 (NationPress) Underlining its resolve to aid Global South allies, India has dispatched 20 tonnes of humanitarian aid and disaster relief materials to Jamaica to assist in recovery efforts following the destruction brought on by Hurricane Melissa.

The shipment from the Government of India reached Jamaica’s capital, Kingston, aboard an Indian Air Force (IAF) C-17 aircraft on Thursday and was officially handed over to the Jamaican Government.

“India stands united with its belief in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—the world is one family. India and Jamaica share a long-standing and robust relationship. We are dedicated to supporting Jamaica and our partners in the Global South during challenging times,” the Indian High Commission in Kingston announced on X on Friday.

Present at the handover ceremony were Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Kamina Johnson Smith, Indian High Commissioner to Jamaica, Mayank Joshi, along with Permanent Secretary and Head of the Jamaican Foreign Service, Ambassador Sheila Sealy Monteith, and representatives from both the Jamaican Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Indian High Commission.

The relief supplies comprise the special Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog, Hita, and Maitri (BHISHM) medical trauma unit, generators, tents, bedding and mats, kitchen kits, solar lanterns, hygiene kits, and other essential resources to facilitate post-hurricane recovery.

A standout feature of the HADR operation is the BHISHM modular trauma kit, which includes 72 boxes of modular medical and surgical kits arranged as a cube. This innovative kit, developed in India, is designed for providing first-line emergency medical support in the field. Additionally, a team of four Indian Air Force medical specialists will conduct specialized training sessions for Jamaican health professionals over the next four days on the BHISHM Cube system.

India continues to be a reliable partner in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) and is a member of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). Earlier in April, India provided disaster relief worth approximately 60 million Jamaican dollars (JMD) to Jamaica, which included 60 tonnes of supplies like generators, neonatal incubators, blood-pressure monitors, solar lanterns, essential medications, and more for disaster preparedness, as noted by the Indian High Commission.