French President posts message for India in Hindi amid COVID-19 crisis

Paris: France will send medical equipment, ventilators, liquid oxygen containers and oxygen generators to boost India's capabilities in fighting the deadly second wave of Covid infections, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Tuesday. In a Facebook post in Hindi, Mr Macron said the two countries will win the war against the pandemic together.

"Nobody is unaffected with the coronavirus pandemic. We know that India is going through a difficult phase. France and India have always remained united: we are doing all we can to help," Mr Macron's post read.

He said each oxygen generator could make a hospital self-reliant for 10 years.

"Our ministries and departments are working hard. French companies are coming together. Unity is at the centre of our nation. This spirit is behind the friendship between our countries. We will win together," he added.

India has been reporting over 3 lakh daily coronavirus cases for the last several days. On Tuesday, the country logged 3.23 lakh cases and 2,771 deaths in 24 hours.

The massive caseload has brought on shortages of essential medicines, hospital beds and life-saving oxygen.

Hospitals in several parts of the country have been sending out SOS messages regarding the oxygen shortage.

The French government today said it was sending the supplies through air and sea routes under what it called "solidarity mission".

It said the French companies in India will support the mission.

France is sending eight oxygen generators, five containers of liquid oxygen and 28 ventilators in the first tranche of aid.

The country's foreign ministry said that each oxygen generator can fulfil the needs of 15 critically ill patients.

"Each unit can uninterruptedly supply a 250-bed hospital. Its oxygen output can fulfil the needs of 15 critically ill COVID-19 patients in an ICU (or 30 patients in the ICU of a conventional hospital) or 150 patients on oxygen therapy in a conventional hospital facility. These oxygen generators also include ramps for filling oxygen cylinders," it said.

Several countries including the US, Germany, Britain, Australia, Singapore and Israel have announced medical aid to India.