Although there are 816 ventilators in Dhaka, only 45 of them in two government hospitals and three private hospitals remain available for treating coronavirus patients amid the ongoing pandemic.
Public health and intensive care experts have raised concerns that Covid-19 attacks respiratory systems and critical patients will need more ventilators and the country at present is not in a position to match demand.
Ventilators pump air into the lungs through a tube placed in the windpipe.
The rest of the ventilators are currently being used in Intensive Care Units [ICUs] of different government and private hospitals.
There are 26 ventilators in Kuwait Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital, eight in Sheikh Rasel Gastroliver Institute & Hospital, three each in Regent Hospital Limited’s Uttara and Mirpur branches and five in Sajeda Foundation hospital in Jatrabari.
A study published in thelancet.com on March 11 said that in China, about 17% of the coronavirus patients actually required ventilation.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque on March 29 said 250 new ventilators have already reached the country and they were being installed at different hospitals.
“350 more ventilators are on process of import,” he added.
