Beko donates mechanical ventilators to Ukrainian hospitals

Europe’s leading home appliances brand Beko donates mechanical ventilators to hospitals in Ukraine aiming to offer continuous support to the medical teams in the fight against the crisis generated by the Coronavirus.

5,000 life-saving mechanical ventilators were produced by Beko’s mother company Arçelik, at its Çerkezköy electronics factory on a not-for-profit basis to meet domestic and international demand. 2,660 of the mechanical ventilators have been sent to 21 countries including some of the hardest hit such as Brazil. The devices have also been sent to Somalia, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, UAE, Chad, Dagestan, Ecuador, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Colombia, Libya, Niger, Nigeria, Uzbekistan, Romania, Syria, Sudan, Morocco and Iraq.

Beko’s representatives decided to donate four mechanical ventilators to medical institutions in Ukraine. Three devices were installed at the Regional Clinical Hospital in Ivano-Frankivsk, one of the pivotal Ukrainian hospitals in the treatment of patients with COVID-19. And one more mechanical ventilator was transferred to the City Hospital in Brovary in the intensive care unit for newborns. In this way, Beko strives to support both patients with COVID-19 and those who need help 24/7, regardless of the conditions of the pandemic.

“It seems that any comment would be superfluous. Mechanical ventilators are vital to the treatment of COVID-19. And it’s not just the coronavirus. Three new devices at the hospital mean six healthy lungs and three lives saved today. In a year, there will be hundreds of such saved lives. In ten years, perhaps thousands. We are infinitely grateful to Beko for this support and their socially responsible position”, – says Volodymyr Protas, Acting Head of the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care of the Regional Clinical Hospital in Ivano-Frankivsk.

Director of the Brovary City Hospital and Honored Doctor of Ukraine, Valentin Bagnyuk, for his part, adds: “The first thing that is done when assessing the condition of a child immediately after birth is a breath test. In case of any deviation from the norm, the baby is instantly connected to the ventilator. The second step is to assess the heart rate. If they are delayed, 100% oxygen supply through the ventilator is required. The third and final step is to assess the color of the skin. If there are any deviations from the norm, it is also necessary to supply 100% oxygen through mechanical ventilation. Thus, the new mechanical ventilator in the neonatal intensive care unit of our hospital is a guarantee of the salvation, development and health of future babies ”.

The mechanical ventilators were manufactured in collaboration with leading Turkish businesses in a collective effort led by the Turkish Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the Ministry of Health.120 engineers, including 60 from Arçelik and others from BioSys, Baykar Technologies and Aselsan, got together to use the rapid-prototyping facilities at Arçelik Garage, an open innovation centre in Istanbul, to design and test the initial prototype on a strict 2-week deadline.

“For over 50 years we have been developing technology that inspires people to lead healthy lives. Building a healthy society is our global mission. And now, when the whole world is covered by the COVID-19 pandemic, we could not remain indifferent. We are proud to hand over to the Ukrainian hospitals in Brovary and Ivano-Frankovsk the ventilators that were assembled at our production facilities in Turkey, and we hope that in the future they will help save more than one life. With the help of our engineering, innovation and production capabilities, we will always take care of the health of society”, – comments the Country Manager of Beko Ukraine Arbatli Alp.