Turkey exports, donates 5,000 medical ventilators

By Tuba Sahin

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey has exported or donated a total of 5,000 locally manufactured medical ventilators, critical in treating the novel coronavirus, the country's industry and technology minister said on Monday.

Turkish biotech firm Biosys produced 10,000 medical ventilator units, half of which were either sold or donated to various countries, Mustafa Varank said at a meeting in the capital Ankara.

In just two weeks last April, Biosys was able to launch the mass production of the much-sought-after devices as the world struggled to treat a deluge of patients suffering from the respiratory disease.

It was able to do this with the backing of three companies -- unmanned aerial vehicle producer Baykar, defense giant Aselsan, and major appliances firm Arcelik.

Individuals, businesses and governments that can project the structural transformation triggered by the pandemic and adapt quickly to the new normal will be the winners of the new era, stressed Varank.

He underlined that Turkey is working hard to prepare its infrastructure for the new era.

Touting how coronavirus changed attitudes and consumer behavior, Varank said the remote working ratio rose 25%, up from 8% in the pre-pandemic period according to the International Labor Organization (ILO).

He stressed that the virus also spurred online shopping and payment by credit and debit cards.

"Payments by credit cards in markets and shopping malls jumped 60% on an annual basis," Varak said.

Citing the latest data from the Trade Ministry, Varank said the volume of e-commerce in Turkey had posted a record-high annual rise in June, up 93% year-on-year.