Healthcare support programme in the crisis caused by COVID 19 in Spain

The Amancio Ortega Foundation set a process in motion in March 2020 of purchasing medical material for the fight against COVID-19 and donating it immediately to health centres around the country. The acquisition of material was carried out in accordance with the technical-sanitary guidelines set by the Spanish authorities. The material was made available as soon as it arrived in Spain.

The goal of this action was to supplement available equipment for the necessary care of patients while increasing the protection capacity of the health professionals themselves against exposure to the virus. The material acquired consisted mainly of respirators for intensive care units (950), filter masks (17 million) and other protective equipment, corona virus detection kits (1.4 million) and other equipment, such as hospital beds (350).

Although purchase commitments amounted to 63 million euros, supplier difficulties in fulfilling orders in a highly stressed market, combined with economies of scale that were reflected in final prices, reduced the total amount to 47.5 million euros.