Chinese Ventilators Bought by Pará Prove Faulty; Each Device Cost R$126,000

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The 152 ventilators purchased from China by the government of the state of Pará to treat Covid-19 patients, displayed faults during the installation process and have not yet been used, the state government said. Concerning the cost of each ventilator, R$126,000 (US$21,974), the state said the funds will not be lost.

The equipment arrived on Monday, May 4, along with 1,580 infusion pumps, which would allow the installation of new ICU beds for Covid-19 and were sent to hospitals in Belém, Santarém, Marabá, Breves, and Capanema.

SESPA said that the equipment worked

Since last Wednesday, the government has been challenged over a video on social networks featuring an alleged health professional in a state hospital pointing out the flaws. The government only commented on Friday.

The SESPA (Secretariat of Public Health) published a video on a social network showing the devices “in full operation”. The post was later deleted.

The government’s note says that these issues have also been faced by other buyers and that the government is “in direct contact with the manufacturers, who pledge to urgently solve them”. Also according to the official document, the manufacturers took it upon themselves to solve the issues and adapt the equipment to national parameters.

Purchase

In total, 400 ventilators were purchased by the state, costing R$50.4 million, in addition to 400 multiparameter monitors, 400 pulse oximeters and 1600 infusion pumps, totaling R$100 million in investments, according to the government.

The government said 80 ventilators were allocated to the Belém field hospital and 30 to the Galileo hospital, also in Belém. Ten ventilators are allocated to the Santarém field hospital; ten to the Marabá field hospital; five to the Breves field hospital and four to the Capanema field hospital.

Approximately 556 infusion pumps come with the ventilators. All began to be distributed on Monday.

In this first batch, the government received 152 ventilators and 1,580 infusion pumps that would be installed in new ICU beds. Other equipment is expected to be shipped from China to Belém later this week, totaling the purchase of 400 ICU kits, according to the government.

Source: G1