France to donate high-end ventilators to India

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 27

France has announced that it will donate high-end ventilators and test kits to India. A French Air Force plane will deliver the equipment on Tuesday, a day before five French-made Rafale fighter jets land in India.

An expert medical mission on inter-hospital transfers of extremely critical cases will also arrive by the same plane to strengthen Indian capabilities in this regard.

In fact, the main focus of the French aid is to enable safe transfer of critically-ill Covid patients. The matter was discussed in a letter President of France Emmanuel Macron wrote last week to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said the Embassy of France in a news statement.

The French Air Force A330 which is bringing in the medical team, test kits and ventilators is equipped with a “Morpheus” kit, which enables the transport of critically ill patients. In March, the A 330 MRT (multi-role tanker) had first flown six patients severely hit by Covid with an onboard medical evacuation unit.

In the letter, Macron noted that when France was going through a critical phase of the public health crisis, India was “by our side”. Now that India is going through a difficult phase, France has responded to the needs identified by the Indian Government, added the French President.

As part of the medical assistance package, France is donating 50 Osiris-3 and 70 Yuwell ventilators. Osiris ventilators are particularly useful for emergency transport while Yuwell ventilators have a non-invasive technique to supply oxygen to the lungs.

France will also donate 50,000 high-quality serological test kits and 50,000 nose and throat swabs and modes of medical transport.

The Ambassador of France Emmanuel Lenain will hand over the medical equipment to Indian Red Cross Society officials at the Palam Air Force Station.

France previously provided credit of 200 million Euros to help India provide relief to the poor through a programme designed by the World Bank. In addition, French companies have contributed over Rs 48 crore to national relief funds, including the PM CARES Fund.