SHORTAGE IN MEDICAL EQUIPMENT

[Anchor Lead]

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or ECMO is an equipment used in treating respiratory illnesses which makes it essential in curing coronavirus patients with serious symptoms. More than often, elderly patients with underlying medical conditions report a sudden deterioration in their symptoms. Many of these patients are in Daegu, the area hardest hit by COVID-19, but ECMO is in shortage here. Take a look.

[Pkg]

A woman in her 70s has been under intensive care at this hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19 early this month. But her conditions worsened. Her lungs were not functioning properly. Now she's being treated with ECMO also known as extracorporeal life support. This apparatus draws blood from a respiratory patient's body, infuse it with oxygen, then puts it back in. ECMO is absolutely necessary in saving critical patients who cannot absorb oxygen on their own due to inflamed pulmonary alveoli. According to a study by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, early treatment is crucial as many fatalities occur in just 10 days since the first symptoms are displayed. However Daegu only has 19 ECMO units. One unit is typically used for as long as 3 weeks, and it's also used for treating other regular patients. Only about 3 units are available when there are around 40 critical patients.

[Soundbite] (HOSPITAL OFFICIAL IN DAEGU(VOICE MODIFIED)) : "There are more than ten critically ill patients at our hospital. We have one machine prepared to treat them."

A single unit costs about 80 million won. Purchasing it in short notice is difficult. One hospital typically owns one or two ECMO machines.

[Soundbite] PROF. PARK SOON-HYO(DONGSAN HOSPITAL) : "We need to focus on treating patients with serious conditions. This is why ECMO must to be acquired or rented as soon as possible."

This is why there are growing calls to deploy the 340 ECMO machines nationwide as well as related experts and personnel, to Daegu for concentrated efforts on treating COVID-19 patients who are in critical conditions.