MoH warns against stockpiling of medical devices

Nguyễn Thu Thủy, in HCM City’s Linh Tây Ward in Thủ Đức City, said she purchased a ventilator so that she could use it when needed.

“In this situation, young people can easily overcome the coronavirus. But for elderly people with underlying diseases like my parents, it is necessary to have supportive machines,” she said.

“Although I do not know how effective the machine is, I decided to buy one for my parents so that we feel secure. In case one of us are infected, we will have a device available to use." 

Lê Hạnh Trinh in Ward  四, District  三, has just ordered some medical care equipment for her family, including a foreign brand medical oxygen generator costing VNĐ 一 一 million (US$ 四 四0) and an oxygen meter for VNĐ 三 million.

However, it will take two to three weeks to have them delivered as they are currently out of stock.

Trinh said she read that a medical oxygen generator was capable of creating pure oxygen with a concentration of over  九0 per cent after removing toxic substances from the air. It could be used for patients with heart or lung failure, so she made an order even though the price was two to three times higher than two weeks ago.

Since a pilot isolation of F0 cases at home took effect, demand for oxygen generators and cylinders has been outstripping supply, with prices up to three times higher than normal.

Thu Ngân, in District  七’s Tân Thuận Ward, said she asked for the price of an oxygen generator at An Sinh Medical Company and was informed that the South Korea-imported device cost between VNĐ 一 三 五- 三 八 五 million, the Germany-imported device between VNĐ 三 九- 五0 million, and the China-imported one ranging from VNĐ 八- 二 四 million.

These machines must be ordered and are only delivered three weeks later.

A representative of An Sinh Medical Company said when an F0 was treated at home, a ventilator could be needed. According to medical experts, all specialized ventilators can be used for coronavirus patients with light to heavy symptoms and can be used anywhere.

“Many families in HCM City have equipped ventilators to be used at home in case of the overloading of hospitals. Some have even equipped ICU rooms worth billions of đồng at home,” he added.