Our view on the ventilator shortage (COVID-19)
The World Economic Forum has published an article by Prof. Netland on how to better mitigate the world-wide ventilator shortage during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Close the borders! Ground the planes!” - While such responses are a natural reflex during the ongoing pandemic, they are dangerous strategies for some critical supplies . When it comes to production and supply of ventilators, for example, we depend on globally intact supply chains – now, more than ever.
If we want to save lives with ventilators, we should increase the worldwide production capacity of ventilator manufacturers, and make sure we have global supply chains to keep moving parts and products around. Prof. Netland suggests six areas to mitigate the ventilator shortage:
1. Map the ventilator supply chain: Know exactly who are involved and where the next bottleneck will be
2. Trace better pathways: Sustain old and establish new global logistics routes
3. Forecast demand: Know the market and where ventilators are needed next
4. Recruit more help: Increase production capacity by repurposing the factories of suitable producers
5. Prepare the operators: A machine is useless if it cannot be operated. Make sure healthcare workers are trained and ready
6. Look for alternatives: Can ventilators be substituted with other treatments? Can we use emergency ventilators?
For more details, see:
• external pageA better answer to the ventilator shortage as the pandemic rages on, World Economic Forum Agenda, April 3. 2020call_made
• Solving the ventilator shortage, ETH Zurich Zukunftsblog, April 6. 2020
• Den Mangel an Beatmungsgeräten beheben, ETH Zurich Zukunftsblog, April 6. 2020