The coronavirus has reached Poland, the first patient who has obtained a positive test result is in the infectious disease hospital in Zielona Góra. For over a month, medical wholesalers have been lacking personal protective equipment (protective masks, disposable gloves) and disinfectants. Pharmacies have problems, drugstores shine with empty shelves. We check whether hospitals have stocks of the most necessary funds.
«Stock up, because there will be no more later»
For several weeks, wholesalers and pharmacies have been struggling with the shortage of personal protective equipment, including protective masks and disposable gloves. In an interview with Medonet, Dr. Emma Kiworkowa, the owner of the Villa Nova clinic, mentioned that the wholesalers with whom she cooperates two weeks ago already called and informed about the shortages, and recommended that we stock up on time when there was a problem with the availability of these funds.
See: Coronavirus in Poland. What do we know about the first patient in Zielona Góra?
– They were talking not only about masks, but also about disinfectants. These products began to be regulated by our wholesalers. It was said that we can buy five or ten packages for one activity, not more – says Dr. Kiworkowa.
The clinic replenished stocks, but in order to do so, the persons responsible for the supply had to contact not only their regular contractors, but also other wholesalers. The prices of the masks could have stunned you.
– The masks are sold in packages of several dozen or several hundred. Calculated per piece, they cost about 60 groszy until recently. Now we have to pay even 5 zlotys – said the expert.
What about the supply of disinfectants and personal protective equipment in hospitals?
Zobacz: Lack of masks is also a problem for doctors. Prices in wholesalers increased 500 times
«We are prepared, we have supplies»
Hospitals seem to be prepared for the difficulties related to the availability of disinfectants and personal protection in wholesalers.
– We have guidelines for dealing with coronavirus confirmation. We have one branch excluded that is prepared for this eventuality. We also have stocks of basic supplies. Of course, it is difficult to say what will happen if the shortages in the wholesalers continue, but at the moment we have large stocks and we are ready – explained Andrzej Ciołko, spokesman for the Provincial Specialist Hospital. Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński SPZOZ in Lublin.
According to the data of the Lublin Sanitary and Epidemiological Station (as of Friday, February 28.02), nine people are hospitalized in hospitals in Lublin, Tomaszów Lubelski and Puławy due to suspected coronavirus infection. Another 150 people are under epidemiological supervision. The samples that have been tested so far have given negative results.
Maria Włodkowska, a spokeswoman for the University Hospital in Krakow, also told Medonet about the preparations:
– The fact that popular drugstores are running out of disinfectants does not affect the supplies of the University Hospital. The hospital orders deliveries not from stores, but from medical wholesalers or directly from manufacturers. We are secured at the moment – she said.
“Dziennik Gazeta Prawna”, just like us, asked about access to protective measures in Polish hospitals. Maciej Zabelski, from the Warsaw hospital in Banacha, told DGP that they still had supplies, but would prefer to have more. Bożena Janicka, head of the medical clinic in Kazimierz Biskupi, spoke in a similar vein: «The mask is running out. I wanted to secure my staff, but I have nowhere to replenish my supplies. There are also no disposable gowns ».
The problem is that wholesalers source their products from abroad, often from China, which seems to be very problematic in the current situation.
What happens if doctors run out of masks?
— In my opinion, the number of patient admissions may be reduced. If the doctor does not have personal protective equipment, he may refuse the services. I’m not talking about life-saving ones, it’s obvious, but about planned surgeries. Due to the lack of funds, they can be extended in time – explained Kiworkowa.
The spokesman of the Ministry of Health, Wojciech Andrusiewicz, said that hospitals had received information from the ministry that any shortages could be supplemented at the Material Reserves Agency.
– Those entities that lack the so-called direct protection measures have reported these shortcomings and are receiving the products from the Agency. We are prepared for any support from hospitals in this regard – added the spokesman.
So far, the Ministry of Health has not confirmed any case of coronavirus in Poland. All samples from patients with suspected infection were negative.
The most important information about the coronavirus:
- How could the coronavirus outbreak turn out? Interview with the president of the Polish Society of Epidemiologists and Doctors of Infectious Diseases
- Coronavirus: Q&A. What to do when symptoms of infection appear?
- The Minister of Health has launched a coronavirus hotline. We checked how it works
- MZ spokesman on the coronavirus in Poland: no sample came out positive
- How will hospitals work when coronavirus appears in Poland? MZ spokesman: “everything is planned”