France Donates Ventilators, COVID-19 Testing Kits To India

New Delhi: France has donated 120 ventilators and 50,000 COVID-19 testing kits to India to combat the spread of the virus as the total count of positive cases in the country has inched closer to 1.5 million-mark. French Ambassador Emmanuel Lenain on Tuesday (July 28) handed over medical supplies to RK Jain, Secretary-General of Indian Red Cross Society. The French Air Force delivered the medical equipment on Tuesday. The French embassy, in a statement, said: “France and India are working together closely on the international response to the Covid-19 pandemic as well as providing reciprocal assistance according to the needs of the two countries”.

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French President Emmanuel Macron recently announced the donation of medical equipment from France to India as well as the provision of technical expertise.

As part of this medical assistance package, France has provided to India 50 Osiris-3 ventilators and 70 Yuwell 830 ventilators with bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) mode.

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 BiPAP – a non-invasive technique to supply oxygen to the lungs without intubation. These high-quality ventilators meet the needs of Indian hospitals.

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France also donated 50,000 high-quality serological IgG/IgM test kits and 50,000 nose and throat swabs and modes of medical transport.

France had previously extended financial support of 200 million euros to India through the French Development Agency (AFD) to boost social welfare systems and protect vulnerable people in India. The credit financing agreement was signed on June 22, with the programme designed by the World Bank already being rolled out.

India on Tuesday reported 47,704 more COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the country’s count of coronavirus cases to 14,83,157, informed the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

In a letter dated July 24 to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Macron wrote about the decision taken by France to send medical equipment and technical assistance to India, stating that this gesture reflected the exceptional nature of the partnership between the two countries.

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When France was going through a critical phase of this public health crisis earlier this spring, India was by our side. It played a very important role with regard to medicines. I wish to thank you once again for having authorised the export of medicines essential for the treatment of critically ill patients. This gesture reflected the exceptional nature of the partnership between our two countries, he said.

“India, in turn, is going through a difficult phase of the crisis. In these painful times for your nation, I desired France to stand fully by your side. To this end, I directed that we be able to respond to the needs identified by your administration by extending aid that is exceptional in its scope and modalities. I believe that it is during tough times that historic ties are forged and strengthened between nations,” the embassy quoted President Macron’s letter.

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NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.