COVID-19: Turkish firm to build field hospitals abroad

Turkish mobile hospital provider SDI Global LLC has won a €13.2 million ($14.25 million) tender for building a field hospital in Romania to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

The firm will sign more agreements worth €61 million ($65.9 million) to build temporary hospitals in two EU countries and three Middle Eastern countries, Adnan Colak, a board member of the firm, told Anadolu Agency on Thursday.

The 250-bed facility in Romania, which will be built as per NATO standards, will have 103 intensive care beds, 143 semi-intensive care beds, five triage beds, five emergency beds, radiology room, laboratory and a surgery room.

"Unfortunately, existing hospital structures help the spread of the virus. Thanks to the technology we have developed, the environment will be free from all kinds of particles or viruses," Colak said. The treatment process is faster and efficient, he added.

After originating in Wuhan, China last December, COVID-19 has spread to at least 185 countries and regions, with Europe and the U.S. the worst-hit regions.

Almost all countries are facing a hospital bed shortage, as well as problems with medical supplies.

To assist other nations, Turkey boosted its production of masks, gloves and PPE, and donated them to scores of countries, including Spain, Italy and the UK.

Worldwide cases have topped 2.63 million with more than 183,000 virus-linked deaths. Over 715,000 patients have recovered, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

*Writing and contribution by Gokhan Ergocun from Istanbul