With a severe course of covid-19, there are over 200 people in hospitals. These are those whose condition may require connection to artificial lung ventilation, in an even more serious case to ECMO – extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, which allows to temporarily replace lung and heart function.
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Due to the deteriorating situation, a lung ventilator was developed by the team of Professor Karel Roubík from CTU. Twenty-seven million were chosen for its development by ordinary people and donors from private companies.
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The Třebíč company MICo, which started mass production at the end of August, prepared 182 lung ventilators, which are now waiting to be stored in the warehouse. Their emergency use has yet to be approved by the Ministry of Health (MZ).
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Jan Kubát, a spokesman for MICo, confirmed to Práva that things have already started.
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“Currently, MICo Medical is negotiating with the Ministry of Health to provide CoroVent lung ventilators as emergency backup capacity and is working in parallel on the proper certification of these devices. Therefore, if we agree with the Ministry of Health, it will be possible to use CoroVent in the event of a shortage of existing lung ventilators in hospitals. It is in the process, “the spokesman confirmed, adding that obtaining European certification is a long way to go.
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CoroVent fans are currently only certified for emergency use, but many countries consider this certificate to be a sufficient guarantee of the device’s functionality and safety. Last month, the Czech lung ventilator received American certification.
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“The state has not yet contributed to further production, but we are still receiving new donors who want to do so,” Kubát added.
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According to the Institute of Health Information and Statistics (IHIS), there are 1,792 beds with artificial lung ventilation available in Czech hospitals. As of October 1, it was occupied by 54 percent. We have a total of 72 beds where the patient can be connected to the ECMO. Currently, eight patients are treated in this way. These are the total number of devices and beds used not only by covid patients.
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Already 1700 positive doctors
However, if there are enough devices to help heal and save lives, only half the problem is solved. The devices must be operated by someone. And they must either be able to do it or have time to train perfectly in the service so as not to endanger the patient’s life.
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However, the number of people caring for patients is also declining. The Czech Medical Chamber reports about 1,700 covid of positive doctors, nurses and other health professionals. According to IHIS, 700 nurses are infected, one hundred fewer health care workers and almost 400 doctors.
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However, those in quarantine, ie health professionals who have come into contact with the positive test, can call the hospital to work in a critical situation. As pointed out by the Message List server, they can continue to work under stricter conditions, protected by an FFP2 respirator.
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Minister of Health Roman Prymula (for YES) wants to help hospitals that are already reporting problems with a lack of staff, the profession of medics, so far from the highest grades. If it gets worse, even younger medical students.
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