In Pictures

Where the Romanian state struggled, Romanian people stepped up

Name: Where the Romanian state struggled, Romanian people stepped up
Uploaded: 2020-04-15T00:09:42Z
Description: Small-scale artisan creators have re-oriented their workshops to make and distribute potentially life-saving equipment.

Small-scale artisan creators have re-oriented their workshops to make and distribute potentially life-saving equipment.

Marele Print (The Big Print), a printing service company, started making visors and protection panels. They donate 10% of what they produce. On the visors they make, they place a sticker saying “Every — Marele Print (The Big Print), a printing service company, started making visors and protective panels. They donate 10 percent of what they produce. On the visors they make, they place a sticker saying 'Everything will be alright.' [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

By Ioana Moldovan

Bucharest, Romania – Given the problems such as high-level corruption, the emigration of medical personnel and the European Union’s lowest healthcare expenditure per capita that have plagued the Romanian healthcare system for more than 30 years, there’s little wonder that, come pandemic-time, it would face a huge challenge. We are, after all, seeing far more developed healthcare systems in danger of collapsing due to the coronavirus crisis.

It is a worldwide pandemic, all being said. The Romanian press has been showcasing testimonies from medics claiming they lack necessary protective gear, including masks or visors, while officials say all medical personnel have been protected. Worse, say analysts, they failed to be transparent about it, not admitting at the beginning that they did not have what they needed.

“In January, after the WHO declared this a pandemic, a commission was formed and we started acquisition procedures for protective gear, biocides and medicines,” Horatiu Moldovan, state secretary at the Romanian Ministry of Health said in an interview on Tuesday.

“As acquisition contracts materialised, we have prioritised the distribution of equipment towards areas with the highest risk of exposure for medical personnel, like infectious disease hospitals, intensive care units, emergency units and SMURD (Mobile Emergency Service for Resuscitation and Extrication), leaving the less exposed areas to a future approach.”

He said the amount of equipment distributed had progressively increased and, at the present time, they had covered any shortages. “We didn’t find there were situations where medics were exposed to risk due to the lack of protective equipment,” Moldovan added.

Romania’s health system in crisis (3:06)

On April 13, there were 812 medical personnel infected with COVID-19 out of 6,633 total confirmed cases.

That’s more than 12 percent of the people infected in Romania.

Out of those 812, more than 420 are in Suceava, and another 103 in Bucharest. Horatiu Moldovan says the situation in Suceava was not caused by a lack of equipment, but by poor management. Whatever the real cause, medics there claim they were washing and reusing their masks over and over again.

But where the system struggled, the people stepped up. Individuals and small enterprises have started to produce the equipment so desperately needed – foremost by those on the front line of this fight, but also for other people at risk. Manufacturers have pivoted into visor production, boutiques are now into making masks. One team created a prototype for an autonomous disinfection robot to be used in hospitals.

They are all trying to contribute. Their email, messaging and Facebook accounts are filled with requests from medical personnel lacking equipment, others in state institutions with no way of protecting themselves at work. And they are answering as many of these cries for help as they can.

“People were desperate,” says 33-year-old Razvan Pascu, from H3, one of more than 100 manufacturers who have started producing protective visors. “In the beginning, we were delivering them directly to medics’ homes. You could see they were scared, that they were desperate, that they were grateful. They are great people, but they face a tremendous challenge now.”

Nurse demonstrates how fast germs spread (2:18)

Alexandru Cristal, a 38-year-old from FabLab, said he found it “extraordinary how the makers’ community got involved and started producing protective equipment”.

“I feel the country is studded by visors, and yet there is still demand.”

They get messages from doctors in hospitals, on Facebook, by email or by phone. From maternity wards to ambulance services, from Bucharest to Nehoiu. “They try to get to us on any available channel,” he said.

Visors are not the only protective equipment needed. There was a huge shortage of masks. First, Romania’s health ministry said only people with symptoms should wear masks outdoors. A few days ago, they issued a statement saying that people should wear anything they have to cover their mouth and nose.

“We know our masks are not homologated (officially approved)”, says Andreea Savin, 27, a manager at Atelierul de Panza (The Cloth Workshop), who started making cotton masks. “They are not meant for professional environments, but rather for day-to-day activities. It is very sad that we are currently receiving requests from medical personnel. It speaks volumes about the current needs and it is clear we were not prepared for what hit us.”

H3’s Pascu said innovation and adaptability were saving lives. “What is important is that we are now proving that things can be done in our country. In a few days we changed our activity, our production, we showed we are flexible,” he said. “There are producers, makers who are making miracles these days. These products, visors and other solutions, created in Romania, are probably saving lives.”

Paul Popescu,39 and his team from Modulab have adapted one of their recently developed platforms to work as an autonomous disinfection robot for hospitals, using UV radiation. They will test it in a h — Paul Popescu, 39, and his team from Modulab have adapted one of their recently developed platforms to work as an autonomous disinfection robot for hospitals, using UV radiation. They will test it in a hospital this week and have started the process to have it officially approved. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

At H3, Razvan Pascu, 33 and his two teammates, normally make multi-disciplinary interactive installations. Now, together with the advertising production company Caustic, they design, produce and donat — At H3, Razvan Pascu and his two teammates normally make interactive installations. Now, together with the advertising production company Kaustik, they design, produce and donate visors, small respiratory masks and UV sterilisers. They have also started working on a mechanical respirator project, together with a team of developers from Galati. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

Adina Casas,45 owns a baby toys workshop. Now she makes masks. It started a month ago, when she got a cold. She did not want to go out without a mask and could not find to buy one at the pharmacy, so — Adina Casas, 45, owns a workshop making baby toys. Now she makes masks. It started a month ago, when she got a cold. She did not want to go out without a mask and could not find to buy one at the pharmacy, so she made one herself. More as a joke, she posted a masked selfie on Facebook. Requests, first from friends, then from family doctors, pharmacists and state institutions, started pouring in. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

Now she makes about 50 a day. “For a month I did not have a free week-end. I work almost ten hours a day. I feel a sense of urgency in getting them ready for people.” She did the first mask using a Yo — Now, Adina makes 50 a day. 'For a month I have not had a free weekend. I work almost 10 hours a day. I feel a sense of urgency in getting them ready for people.' She made her first mask using a YouTube tutorial. By practice she improved her skill and adapted the materials. 'It was a steep learning curve,' says Adina. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

Mihaela works for Caustic, an advertising production company, for over 10 years. Together with H3, they now produce almost 500 visors a day. One of their customers, Fru Fru, supported their initiative — Mihaela has worked for Kaustik, an advertising production company, for more than 10 years. Together with H3, they now produce almost 500 visors a day. One of their customers, Fru Fru, supported their initiative and financed the production of 7,000 visors. The first 2,500 that H3 and Kaustik donated were produced from their own funds. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

Alexandru Cristal, 38 started making visors at FabLab a month ago. Now they make 100 a day, 200 when they work at night as well. He launched a call on the 3D printing Facebook groups, 70 people answer — Alexandru Cristal, 38, started making visors at FabLab a month ago. Now his company make 100 a day, or 200 when they work at night. He launched an appeal on 3D printing Facebook groups, and 70 people immediately answered the call. Now, there are more than 100 groups across Romania who are 3D printing the visor supports. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

Atelierul de Panza (The Cloth Workshop) used to make eco friendly cotton bags. They came with the idea to start producing masks by first making some to protect their employees. Now, they donated over — Atelierul de Panza (The Cloth Workshop) used to make eco-friendly cotton bags. They came with the idea to start producing masks by first making some to protect their employees. They have since donated more than 2,200 masks to people in need: medical personnel, disabled persons, people with severe medical conditions and the elderly. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

The autonomous disinfection robot’s prototype made by Modulab got a lot of interest on social media. They decided to start a crowdfunding campaign to cover the production of ten such robots and donate — The autonomous disinfection robot prototype made by Modulab sparked a lot of interest on social media. They decided to start a crowdfunding campaign to cover the production of ten such robots and donate them to hospitals in need across the country. An additional two robots have been sponsored by a bank and a major retailer. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

“Unfortunately, we had to send some of our employees in technical unemployment”, says Andreea Savin, 27, manager at Atelierul de Panza. “We could have produced more than the 800 daily masks we are mak — 'Unfortunately, we had to put some of our employees in technical unemployment,' says Andreea Savin, a 27-year-old manager at Atelierul de Panza. 'We could have produced more than the 800 daily masks we are making now, but there are only five people left working in the workshop.' [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

At FabLab, visors are being packed and shipped all across the country. FAN courier, a Romanian courier service, offered to deliver the visor shipments for free. There is an initiative, viziere.ro who — At FabLab, visors are being packed and shipped across the country. FAN courier, a Romanian courier service, offered to deliver the visor shipments for free. There is an initiative, viziere.ro, which centralises the visor distribution. 'On their list there is a demand for half a million visors,' says Alexandru. 'This is not a product that you can reuse in the long run. Sure, you can disinfect it, but if you use it in a COVID-19 infected environment, you should throw it away afterwards. I don't believe people who we send them to do that. Given the shortages, they will try to hold on to it as much as possible' [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

“There is still demand”, says Andreea Savin. “We have 1700 masks on our waiting list. Hospitals, ministry of interior personnel, they are waiting for them.” — 'There is still demand,' says Andreea Savin. 'We have 1,700 masks on our waiting list. Hospitals, ministry of interior personnel, they are waiting for them. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

Atelierul de Panza is a social project, employing persons with disabilities. It was created by an environmental NGO, Viitorul Plus. Because of their environmental ethics, they would not consider produ — Atelierul de Panza is a social project, employing people with disabilities. It was created by an environmental NGO, Viitorul Plus. Because of their environmental ethics, they would not consider producing masks from plastic or other non-reusable materials. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

“We get a lot of thanks from medics. Many of them told us that they are aware our masks are not homologated”, says Andreea Savin. “But right now, rather than having nothing, they prefer this alternati — 'We get a lot of thanks from medics. Many of them told us that they are aware our masks are not [officially approved],' says Andreea Savin. 'But right now, rather than having nothing, they prefer this alternative.' [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

“It is better than nothing. That was my motto from the beginning”, says Adina Casas. She donates to people in need and sells to people who want to further support her donations. “People who could pay — 'It is better than nothing. That was my motto from the beginning,' says Adina Casas. She donates to people in need and sells to people who want to further support her donations. 'People who could pay understood the need to contribute to keep the donations going.' [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]

“What is important is that we are now proving that things can be done in our country. In a few days we changed our activity, our production, we showed we are flexible. There are producers, makers who — "What is important is that we are now proving that things can be done in our country. In a few days we changed our activity, our production, we showed we are flexible. There are producers, makers who are making miracles these days. These products are probably saving lives. We should learn to be more thoughtful when it comes to local production," says Razvan Pascu from H3. [Ioana Moldovan/Al Jazeera]