As part of the national effort to combat COVID-19 pandemic and diversify its revenue streams, Ethiopian Airlines Group is set to launch production of ventilators that can be used in hospitals to treat patients.
Fully owned by the Government of Ethiopia, Ethiopian Airlines Group, has recently made a deal with a Chinese company to start production of ventilators, according to Tewolde GebreMariam, CEO of the Group.
Presenting the activities of Ethiopian Airlines Group (Ethiopian) to the national committee against COVID-19 led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Friday, Mr. Tewolde indicated that recently Ethiopian has provided maintenance service of 31 ventilators to the Ministry of Health of Ethiopia.
He noted that the plan was initially to partner with a European company to produce the ventilators, meanwhile because of the delay Ethiopian has ventured with a Chinese company.
Currently in Ethiopia about 200 ventilators are dedicated to COVID-19 patients, according to Dr. Lidya Tadesse, Minister of Health of Ethiopia, who also presented her ministry’s activities in relation to preparations for the fight against COVID-19. So far three people have died in Ethiopia by COVID-19 out of the total 135 confirmed cases.
