Bangladesh is still facing a huge shortage of ventilators, a necessary medical device for respiratory patients, as the government has been unable to import a single one of the devices in the last 12 weeks of coronavirus infection.
The country recorded its first case of coronavirus on March 8 and the infection rate continues to rise every day.
More than 18 local companies and groups are trying to manufacture proto-type ventilators, but these are still in technical trials.
In early April, Health Minister Zahid Maleque who also heads the National Committee for Prevention and Control of Covid-19, said they were working on bringing some 400 to 500 ventilators and oxygen generators to address the shortage.
A press release issued by the Health Ministry on April 9 quoted him as saying that 380 new ventilators were being imported.
However, by the end of May, no new ventilators had been added to the intensive care units (ICUs) of hospitals.
“Around 200 ventilators are in the process of being imported from the United Kingdom,” said Habibur Rahman Khan, additional secretary (administration) of Health Services Division.
“We are supposed to get the ventilators in a few days,” he added.
These ventilators are being imported using World Bank funds, but delivery has been delayed due to bureaucratic procedures.
Another initiative of the Health Services Division to import ventilators also seems to have failed, as the work order has still not been prepared.
According to a source at the Health Services Division, the work order has been delayed due to corruption.
“The work order for another package of ventilators is still not prepared as far I know,” said Habibur Rahman Khan.
“It is necessary to fix rules, conditions, and other guidelines to import such machinery, which takes time,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.
In Bangladesh, there are 1,267 ventilators attached to ICUs for the total population — 520 at state-run hospitals and 737 at private hospitals.
The government has 399 dedicated ICU beds with ventilators for treatment of critical Covid-19 patients.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said data from China suggests that 15–20% of Covid-19 cases require hospitalization, with around 15% presenting severe symptoms, and 5% requiring intensive care.
“Estimates from China also suggest that patients at ICUs require approximately 13 days of respiratory support, while data from Italy shows that 10–25% of patients will require ventilation, and some patients will need ventilation for several weeks,” it added.
Until Wednesday, Bangladesh recorded 55,140 positive cases and 746 deaths, while 11,590 people recovered.
Local ventilators still in technical trials
To fight Covid-19, many organizations and individuals in Bangladesh have started manufacturing prototype ventilators.
They took the initiative as importing ventilators has become difficult, with international manufacturers struggling to meet rising demand across the world in the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the Access to Information (A2i) project of the government, 18 organizations and groups, including the Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory (BMTF), Walton, and Gigatech, are developing ventilators.
“Two companies are at the final stage of technical trials. Once the trials are completed, we will send a proposal with the protocol to the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA),” said Faruq Ahmed Jewel, head of technology, Innovation Lab at A2i.
“After completing technical trails, the DGDA will monitor clinical trials before approving the devices,” he added.
A ventilator provides mechanical ventilation, moving breathable air in and out of the lungs, delivering breathing facilities to a patient who is physically unable to breathe, or is breathing insufficiently.
