The Romanian industry is readjusting
The national defense industry and private companies in Romania have readjusted their activity in order to produce essential items needed to fight the coronavirus epidemic.
Daniela Budu, 08.04.2020, 20:02
Private and state-owned companies in Romania are joining forces to combat one of the most serious pandemics in history, by producing essential medical materials. Economy Minister, Virgil Popescu, has announced that many companies are working on special production lines for such equipment and that, starting next week, 1 million surgical masks will be produced every day in Romania. Also, a thermal scanner has been developed and produced in Romania by the national defence industry. The product, named CONDOR, can be used to detect people with fever in crowded places such as airports, metro stations, hospitals and public institutions.
The Romanian defense industry is already producing insulated stretchers for the transport of the patients infected with the coronavirus. Minister Popescu has also said that the Defense Ministry has perfected a quick licensing procedure for companies interested in the production of mechanical ventilation devices needed for the treatment of critical patients. The minister has recently said in a TV programme that Romania and Europe depend on imports from China and has pointed out that, after the coronavirus crisis, when Romanian economy restarts, a new strategy will have to be put in place, so that essential materials needed in crisis situations should be produced in Romania. Popescu has also referred to a programme of micro-industrialization, that was modified and directed towards the production of medical materials. He has announced grants of around 13.5 million euros for 325 companies that have modified their core activity to produce medical equipment.
In his turn, Prime Minister Ludovic Orban said at a meeting with producers and distributors in the pharmaceutical industry that one of the goals of the Government at present is to stimulate domestic production of medicines, biocides and medical equipment, so as to reduce the risk of shortages in crisis situations. Talks focused on measures to secure the stocks and continuous supply of medicines for patients infected with coronavirus and for chronic patients and as well as protection materials and equipment for the medical personnel. The PM hailed the state-owned company Antibiotice Iasi which announced it resumes the production of paracetamol and novocalmin, two medicines that are on high demand on the domestic market. PM Orban thanked pharmaceutical companies for the donations and support offered at this difficult time and gave assurances that legislation would be simplified and red tape reduced, so that solidarity gestures should not be hindered by bureaucracy. (Translated by Elena Enache)
