The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on Africa is exacerbated by poor health systems and ill-equipped facilities in most parts of the continent.

One medical equipment that has assumed star status in the wake of the current pandemic are ventilators. They are basically breathing machines that facilitate breathing in cases of respiratory failures. They buy time for especially chronic sufferers of the coronavirus as medics work on treatment.

The tallies of ventilators per most African nations is worrying low according to experts and officials. In Ethiopia, Africa’s second-most populous country, doctors were recently given training on the use of ventilators in an Addis Ababa hospital.

The health professionals who received private sector-led training are convinced that the device will make the difference between life and death when the time comes. Doctor Tihitina Legesse told the media: “I’ll be first in line on this. So I need to be trained in the use of this device.’‘

Ethiopia has over 100 million people, but only 54 respirators out of 450 available have been reserved for coronavirus patients. The Ministry of Health would like to acquire 1,500 more. The government has ordered a thousand devices from China. But global demand is strong. Addis Ababa will have to settle for 250 by April.

Rediet Libanos, another medic said: “In Italy, for example, they’re overwhelmed with patients, very sick patients. They are suffering from shortages of artificial ventilation and they have to decide who has priority. If things continue like this, if people don’t take it seriously, they’ll probably be overwhelmed.”

As of Friday, April 3, Ethiopia has officially confirmed 35 coronavirus cases with two cases deemed serious.