(Quito) Ecuador on Monday banned the export of medical oxygen, used to treat patients with COVID-19, and capped the price of this product due to increased demand in the country, a announced the National Emergency Operations Committee (COE).
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“It makes sense that we prioritize the needs of our Ecuadorian compatriots, as this is a fundamental element in saving lives,” WCC president Juan Zapata said at a press conference, noting a doubling of demand in the country.
Zapata said the measure would not affect Ecuador’s humanitarian agreements for the delivery of medical oxygen. The Committee’s decision also excludes sales agreements that were signed before the announcement.
“It may be that for some companies it is more productive to export, but we must be aware and in solidarity with the country, the production must therefore remain in Ecuador”, underlined Mr. Zapata.
Fight against speculation
And to fight against speculation on the price of oxygen, the president of the COE has decided to cap the price.
“The decision is taken following a request from the governors and mayors who noted a deficit (of medical oxygen) and especially the existence of speculation, this is why ceilings are set”, detailed Juan Zapata.
The Committee decided that the price of six cubic meters of medical oxygen may not exceed US $ 36.20, that of eight cubic meters $ 48, and that of ten cubic meters $ 60.
In April, Ecuador also set a cap of $ 45.08 on the price of PCR tests. Before this measure, such a test could cost between 80 and 120 dollars.
The South American nation broke a monthly record in April with 53,107 recorded cases of COVID-19, up from 42,600 cases in March. Faced with the rise in infections, President Lenin Moreno, who will step down on May 24, declared a state of emergency and imposed a curfew.
Since the start of the pandemic, the country of 17.5 million people has recorded some 388,046 cases of COVID-19, including 18,765 deaths.
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