Ventilators will "future-proof" the health system in the event of an influx of patients with Covid-19. Experts say the $76 million investment would help the health system cope if the country was overwhelmed by Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admissions in another major outbreak. Waikato emergency physician Dr Martyn Harvey said he believed much of New Zealand's Covid-19 strategy had been driven by the lack of ventilators. However, sourcing extra ventilators was critical to help prepare our health system in case of another big community outbreak, he said. Prior to Covid-19, New Zealand had no experience manufacturing ICU-ventilators at a large scale so to start from scratch would take more time.

Source: Otago Daily Times September 08, 2020 17:48 UTC