Morocco Faces Oxygen Machine Shortage as COVID-19 Cases Surge

Crucial for treating severe forms of the virus, the oxygen machine is lacking in several regions, reports the daily Assabah, noting that the surge in infection cases in recent weeks has resulted in strong demand for oxygen generators, essential for people suffering from respiratory problems.

According to Anouar Yadini, president of the Moroccan Association of Medical Device Professionals, cited by the daily, the depletion of the stock of oxygen generators is partly due to the lack of organization at the Directorate of Medicines and Pharmacy, under the Ministry of Health.

Indeed, he specifies, "it is taking time to grant registration certificates to companies that import the generators. These documents are essential to be able to supply the market, which is why the association has sent a letter to the supervisory authority to resolve the problem, but which has not yet received a response to date". Added to this is a total lack of collaboration observed in recent months.

In this context, the source continues, the kingdom is facing an inflation in the prices of oxygen devices which are currently negotiated between 8,000 and 18,000 dirhams depending on the brand and flow rate. The cost of oxygen production is between 2 and 5 dirhams per liter.

To recall, the situation in the intensive care units is increasingly critical to the point that the ministry, at the beginning of the week, called for a rational use of oxygen in hospitals, indicating new protocols to avoid losses.