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The United States has made a large purchase of ventilators due to the coronavirus epidemic. One deal was much cheaper than in Hungary to buy 140,000 machines. The American story is already similar to the Hungarian in that a large part of the machines are considered unsuitable for the care of covid patients.
When the Covid-19 epidemic struck the US as early as the year and then rapidly undermined the health care systems of several states in the country, the US federal government announced in April that it would buy ventilators for almost $. 3 billion. If necessary, the machinery would be transferred from the national reserve to the Member States most affected by the epidemic. In the end, the amount was enough to buy 140,000 machines, that is, the total expenditure of HUF 890 billion managed to buy the machine parts at an average price of HUF 6.35 million.
In comparison, Hungary bought only 16,000 fans for a third of the money (around HUF 300 billion), that is, an average of HUF 18-19 million was paid for a team. Large purchases in the US are similar to domestic purchases in that experts say that a good portion of the machines are not suitable for treating coronavirus patients.
In Hungary, it is not known exactly how many devices cannot be used for intensive care, but in the United States, according to Reuters, half of the respirators purchased by the Trump administration are certainly unsuitable for work. Also, only about 10 percent of them are intensive care units that experts say can be used to treat acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in seriously ill patients. This is a life-threatening condition that damages the lungs in such a way that the body cannot absorb enough oxygen, which can damage circulation and other organs.
Of the appropriate devices, the remainder, 40 percent of the total, can generally only be used for a short time in intubated patients. But they can still be used safely during the mid-breathing period, although in peacetime they are only recommended for transport within the intensive care unit or between care settings. However, according to a study by the American College of Chest Physicians, the other models included in the kit cannot be used in any way in people with ARDS.
Of the equipment, 44,000 are pNeuton models jointly manufactured by General Electric and Ford. These are the cheapest devices, designed this year and planned to be suitable for treating coronavirus-infected people with ARDS, but experts have unanimously said that it cannot deliver oxygen to damaged lungs in such a way that the patient’s body can use it properly.
In the United States, the epidemic is not abating, with more than 1.1 million new infections recorded last week alone. The country has reported a total of more than 268,000 deaths from coronavirus since the outbreak began, more than the number of victims claimed from the Vietnam and Korean wars combined. Referring to this, those responsible for procurement now say they were prepared for the worst case, which is why they ordered so many devices, and little was known about the course of the Covid-19 disease during the first wave. According to the federal reserve authority, since then other forms of treatment have been used in addition to mechanical ventilation, so patients are not at risk.
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