Handover Ceremony of Ventilators to Combat COVID-19 at Mother Theresa Hospital

TIRANA –  The   Ministry   of   Health   and   Social   Protection   received   on   Tuesday   the   new ventilators funded by the governments of Switzerland and Norway and UNDP Albania. The new life-saving machines were procured as part of collective efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and to increase the capacities of Albania’s healthcare system to cope with the emergency, said a press release issued by the Swiss Embassy in Tirana on Tuesday.

The ventilators come as an addition to the Albanian government’s previous purchase of those machines,which are critical for treating patients under intensive care. Furthermore, these ventilators will continue to be necessary even   after   the COVID-19 pandemic  subsides, as they are used to assist patients   with respiratory problems accompanying a variety of conditions. Present at the handover ceremony were the Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu,the Norwegian Ambassador to Albania Jens Erik Grondahl, the Embassy of Switzerland’s Deputy Head of Mission Patrik Meier and UNDP’s Resident Representative Limya Eltayeb.

“We continue to strengthen the capacity of the public health system in response to COVID19 and this valuable assistance from our partners with these life-saving equipment will help strengthen intensive careunits in the country,” said Ogerta Manastirliu, Minister of Health and Social Protection.

“In line with Switzerland’s engagement for a stronger health sector, the new ventilators serve to increasecapacities to deal not only with COVID-19 patients, but also to treat patients from  other respiratorycomplications”, said Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Switzerland, Patrik Meier.

The Norwegian Ambassador to Albania Jens Grondahl underlined:”I am very pleased to be here today to hand over the ventilators to the Mother Theresa Hospital to help health authorities cope with COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases. This is a global problem that needs common solutions between countries. Norway remains a proud supporter of Albania’s national efforts against the pandemic in an unprecedented partnership with Albanian Government, Switzerland and UNDP.“

As part   of  the   UN’s   collective   efforts   to   help   the   Government   of   Albania   provide  an   effective healthcare I’m response for those affected by the virus, UNDP is happy to have joined hands with the embassy   of Switzerland   and Norway to purchase  additional  ventilators.   No  one  is immune to the COVID-19   pandemic.   While   the   ventilators   will   strengthen   Albania’s   healthcare   system   to   cope better   with   the   threat   of   the   pandemic,   we   all   have   a   responsibility,   as   individuals to   adhere to recommended   measures   and   support   Government’s   efforts to   curb   the   spread   of this virus. Together   we   can   defeat   this   pandemic,”   said   UNDP   Resident   Representative   Limya Eltayeb.

The Swiss Government provided 330,000 USD, the Norwegian Government 3,000,000 Norwegian Krone(approximately 300,000 USD) and UNDP 150,000 USD. Since the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in the country on March 9, 1,521 cases have been reported so far and 37 people have passed away from the Coronavirus. Currently, 441 cases are active in thecountry  –   47  people   are   hospitalized,   seven   patients   are   being   treated   in   intensive   care   and   one   is intubated. It  is  in  this   context   that  owning  enough   ventilators   to  treat   COVID-19  patients   remains  one   of  the government’s highest priorities and a point of support coming from Albania’s international partners./argumentum.al