Ministry requires designated Covid-hospitals to prepare enough medicine supplies especially medical oxygen gas
Following the widespread transmission of the Covid-19 epidemic, especially in Ho Chi Minh City and the southern provinces, the Ministry of Health today sent an official dispatch to the medical oxygen producers asking to manufacture more to make sure no shortage of medical supplies and equipment, especially medical oxygen gas for the fight against the coronavirus epidemic.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Health suggested that relevant agencies are ready to maximize production capacity and prepare medical oxygen supply for designated Covid-hospitals.
Manufacturers that have been supplying to hospitals/medical facilities in HCMC, southern provinces, and epidemic-affected provinces necessarily coordinate with other relevant agencies for transportation storing medical equipment and materials for continuous supply. Producers should immediately report to the Department of Health and local authorities that will help them to solve obstacles.
At the same time, the Ministry of Health also sent an official dispatch to hospitals, health departments of provinces/cities requesting supply preparation medical oxygen gases and medical equipment for the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic.
In the official dispatch, the Ministry of Health suggested that designated Covid-hospitals hospitals throughout the country, especially hospitals in coronavirus-hit Ho Chi Minh City and southern provinces need to promptly check control and ensure the supply and use of medical oxygen at facilities.
Departments of health in cities are responsible for strengthening hospitals and medical facilities in the area to ensure that there is no shortage of medical oxygen for the treatment of Covid-19 patients.
Previously, the Ministry of Health had an online meeting with medical oxygen producers across the country to urge an increase in production for enough supply. Currently, the supply of medical oxygen gas is enough to meet the needs of the country; however, medical institutions need to take heed of medical oxygen storage according to the government’s principle.
Many medical equipment stores and agents supplying oxygen concentrators and oxygen tanks on Cong Quynh Street in HCMC’s District 1, Ly Thuong Kiet, To Hien Thanh, Thanh Thai in District 10 announced to these special commodities have been sold out.
For instance, the shop owner of the medical equipment store K.H. in Cong Quynh Street, District 1, said that all kinds of oxygen ventilators have been out of stock for two weeks. He added that only three 14-liter oxygen tanks each costing VND1.8 million are left and only one USA-made 5-liter oxygen ventilator worth over VND30 million is left. Shop assistants of T.V.C Pharmaceutical Company in To Hien Thanh Street in District 10 said that these two items had long been sold out.
Normally, the price of a 5-liter oxygen ventilator imported from China only ranges from VND10 million (US$608) to VND14 million, but some stores have sold at over VND25 million a bottle presently, but not sure if the dealers have stock. An engineer working in the field of medical machinery and equipment revealed that before the epidemic, popular home oxygen ventilators of Chinese origin cost only VND3 million to VND5 million; but now, though they are over VND20 million, no stores are stocking it.
