The government of Japan has decided to provide free of charge oxygen concentrators for Indonesia, Thailand and Laos which are suffering the explosion of Covid-19 infection.
A total of 3675 units of free concentrators includes 2800 for Indonesia, 776 for Thailand and 100 for Laos.

In May the government offered free 2800 units of oxygen concentrator to India, and is going to make a similar support under the scheme titled “Emergency Gratis Fund Aid.”

Under the scheme, oxygen concentrators themselves are not actually supplied in a direct manner, but an equivalent fund is offered to the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), which on behalf of the Japanese Government procures oxygen concentrators from over the world and plays the role to send them to those countries.

The fund for support amounts to about JPY600 million (equivalent to US$5.6 million) for Indonesia and about JPY270 million for Thailand and Laos together (equivalent to US$2.52 million) which includes 100 units each of aspirator and monitor for Laos.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially announced the support for Indonesia on July 20, and that for Thailand and Laos on August 3.

For reference, most of the oxygen concentrators supplied to India in May were supposed to be foreign-made. Because the specifications of power source of most Japan-made concentrators seemed to have been not compatible for use in those countries. Furthermore, Japanese manufacturers had no adequate stock in April and May of this year.