India - French Covid-19 Solidarity Operation (26 April 2021)

At President Macron’s request, the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs is in the midst of organizing an extraordinary solidarity operation in support of the Indian people, who have been hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Coordinated by the Ministry’s Crisis and Support Center and implemented by the French Embassy in India, the operation involves delivering the following by air and by sea, by the end of this week:

• 8 oxygen generators manufactured by a French SME, each of which can provide an Indian hospital with oxygen autonomy for a dozen years. These units are permanent fixtures that can produce medical oxygen from the oxygen present in the air. Each one can continuously supply a 250-bed hospital. The system’s flow rate is sufficient for 15 intubated Covid patients in a resuscitation care unit (or 30 patients in conventional intensive care) or 150 patients requiring oxygen in a conventional hospital setting. Also included are devices to refill oxygen cylinders.
• containers of liquid oxygen, including 5 delivered during an initial phase, to supply medical oxygen to up to 10,000 patients a day.
• specialized medical equipment including 28 respirators and the disposable materials that go with them, as well as 200 electric syringe pumps.

In response to needs expressed by Indian officials, this equipment is designed to respond to the emergency but also to significantly boost the capacity of Indian hospitals over the long term to treat patients and fight the pandemic.
French support includes contributions from the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the Ministry for Solidarity and Health, and the following major companies: Air Liquide, BNP Paribas, Capgemini, CMA CGM, Dassault Aviation, EDF, Orano, Sanofi, Safran as well as ATOS, Renault, Airbus, L’Oréal, Naval Group, Société Générale, Alstom, Total, ADP, Roquette, Servier, Thales, Schneider Electric, Crédit Agricole, Michelin, ARaymond, Air France, Legrand, EMBALL’ISO, Phosphea, NRB Bearings, Dassault Systèmes, Armor Group, Link and Precia Molen, with support from the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI).
It also falls within the framework of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM).
France and India have always stood together in solidarity at difficult times. This solidarity lies at the heart of our strategic partnership and the friendship between the French and Indian people.