France sends ventilators, test kits to assist India
France last Tuesday handed over to India ventilators, test kits and other medical equipment as part of its assistance in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The medical equipment was handed over to the Indian Red Cross Society by French Ambassador to India Emmanuel Lenain at the Palam Air Force Station after the assistance material was flown here on board a French Air Force aircraft.
Indian government sources said France has now provided medical equipment and expertise to India for its response to the Covid-19 pandemic and it is a happy coincidence that this equipment has arrived at the same time as the Rafale jets are supposed to land. The material being provided by France includes 50 Osiris 3 ventilators, 70 Yuwell 830 ventilators with BiPAP mode, 50,000 serological tests (IgM/IgG Duo test kits by Biosensor) and 50,000 nose and throat swabs, PTI reported.
Osiris ventilators are particularly useful for emergency transport, intra-hospital transfer and recovery. They have different ventilation modes, including non-invasive ventilation. The Yuwell 830 ventilators have bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) — a non-invasive technique to supply oxygen to the lungs without intubation. These high-quality ventilators meet the needs of Indian hospitals, the French embassy had said earlier. The ventilators and test kits are being received by the Indian Red Cross Society and ICMR, respectively, the Indian government sources said.
Delighted to hand over #COVID19 medical equipment from France to Shri RK Jain, Secy General @IndianRedCross.
France earlier granted €200 MN in financial aid to India thro’ @AFD_en. With @IFCCI1 CSR committee, French companies, too, have contributed to relief efforts in India. pic.twitter.com/1UEzpp6Dwn
— French Embassy in India ???? (@FranceinIndia) July 28, 2020
The Indian side is happy to have also received a letter from French President Emmanuel Macron addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing France’s solidarity with India at this difficult time, they said. The India-France partnership will be even more crucial in the post-pandemic scenario including in the domain of humanitarian assistance, the sources said.
A ?? armed forces team at AFS Palam held demos w/ ?? IAF in Multi Role Tanker Transport Airbus A330 adapted for emergency medical air transfers. With a Morpheus resuscitation & oxygen kit, the A330 MRTT can perform long-haul evacuation for 10 intensive-care patients. #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/E7G6mPsI0Z
— French Embassy in India ???? (@FranceinIndia) July 31, 2020
France is an important strategic partner for India and in view of the very friendly relationship and close cooperation on various issues, India had provided at short notice, certain life-saving drugs to France in their time of need to help them deal with the pandemic, they said.
President Macron had recently announced the donation of medical equipment to India, as well as provisions of technical expertise, according to the French embassy. The equipment was transported on a French Air Force A330 MRTT equipped with a Morpheus kit, which enables the transport of critically ill patients.
Source: PTI
