Covid-19: French aid arrives in Tunisia

The Secretary of State in charge of nationals Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne in Tunis with the Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs Othman Jerandi (left) and the head of the presidential cabinet, Nadia Akache, July 22, 2021. AFP - FETHI BELAID

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Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Secretary of State to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, in charge of Tourism, French people living abroad and La Francophonie, is visiting Tunisia on Thursday and Friday to welcome French aid to the health situation and kick off the vaccination of French nationals in Tunisia.

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With our correspondent in Tunis,

Lilia Blaise

54 kilos of oxygen distributed in three containers, enough to help Covid patients on a ventilator for a few days.

This is the gift that France made this Thursday to Tunisia, which has been sorely lacking in oxygen for several months.

Current needs are 240,000 liters per day and the country does not even produce half of it, according to Patrick Deneux, CEO of Air Liquide Tunisia.

He came to the port of Radès on Thursday to accompany the French delegation to receive the oxygen.

"

Without the contribution of these containers, unfortunately the situation would be catastrophic

 ", he comments.

And this donation is in addition to three units of medical oxygen to produce oxygen for fifteen years, given during the visit of Prime Minister Jean Castex in early June. They allow more lasting aid, according to Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Secretary of State to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs: “

Alongside the emergency response, there is also a long-lasting response which helps strengthen the country's autonomy in its production of oxygen.

"

Another contribution, more than a million doses of vaccine distributed between Janssen and AstraZeneca to support the vaccination campaign in the country.

France is also going, as in India, to vaccinate its French nationals this Friday with 14,000 additional doses.

"

It is this idea that we have that even if you are a Frenchman established far from the mother country, the State follows you

 ", he declares.

And for Tunisia, the country should have nearly five million vaccines available by mid-August, a way to reverse the upward curve of Covid-related contaminations, according to the authorities.

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  • Tunisia

  • Coronavirus