In the previous news, there was talk about reducing the import of medical equipment. Now we have new news regarding the situation of medical equipment. The head of the Medical Equipment Traders’ Union, stating that medical equipment companies demand more than 2,000 billion tomans from hospitals, said: On the other hand, foreign companies, due to the demands they have had from us in the past, may withdraw the money that we transfer with great difficulty for their previous demands and do not provide us with medical equipment.
Abolfath Sanei – President of the Medical Equipment Traders Union in an interview with ISNA, referring to the determination of government currency for medicine and medical equipment in the budget bill of 1399, said: In general, we agree with the elimination of subsidized currency, but this action also has conditions; When the Ministry of Health and insurance centers can not pay the money and debts of companies on time and the payment of companies’ claims takes about a year, with a currency of 4200 Tomans; In such a situation, how can they afford to pay when the price doubles?
He added: In the field of medical equipment, some of the goods are funded by the Ministry of Health and some of them are covered by insurance. Therefore, there must be a budget line for the difference between converting government currency into half currency so that we can be sure that medical centers can afford to buy their equipment. Otherwise we get caught. In the current situation where we have sold medical equipment for 4,200 Tomans, our demands are delayed for one year, and even since 2017, some of our demands remain.
2000 billion debt of hospitals to medical equipment companies
Sanei continued by stating that at present the total amount of claims of medical equipment companies from hospitals and medical centers is more than 2000 billion Tomans: Therefore, we, as the medical equipment traders’ union, agree with the halving of the currency; Because we are looking for stability, and in trade, the most important item is the existence of stability in the market, and this stability is created under the influence of the same currency and monopoly. Therefore, it is in our interest to look for a single currency for all goods, but on the other hand, we face problems and challenges such as delays in payment. There should be a budget line for both the Ministry of Health and the insurance companies for the difference between the government exchange rate and the half rate, so that we know that hospitals can also pay for their purchases.
“Of course, medical equipment companies cooperate with hospitals and provide the medical equipment they need,” he said. At the same time, it should be noted that if medical centers do not pay companies on time, medical equipment companies will face liquidity challenges and will not be able to buy currency.
He emphasized: It should be noted that all goods imported or produced in the currency of 4200 Tomans are distributed under the supervision of the Ministry of Health. Accordingly, the Ministry of Health, through its systems, knows exactly what medical products, through whom it was imported, how much of it was sold, and how much of it remained in the company’s warehouse. Therefore, if the medical equipment is included in the supervision of the Ministry of Health, there will be no problem and no abuse will occur. Especially since the companies that work in this field have had IDs and reputations for many years and have been working under the Ministry of Health for many years. Of course, it should be noted that there are violations in every guild. At the same time, I reiterate that the stability of the market is important to us and that the monopoly of the currency is also favorable to us, but on the condition that the budget line is allocated to the insurance and the Ministry of Health in proportion to the increase in the exchange rate.
3 to 6 months stocks of medical equipment
Regarding the condition of medical equipment warehouses, Sanei stated: Many medical devices have acceptable reserves of three to six months. In some medical products such as surgical sutures, brain stents and neurological equipment, our reserves are less than six months, and in the field of cardiac stents, our reserves are relatively acceptable. At the same time, there are concerns about the supply of some items, such as neurological equipment.
How much government money is given for medical equipment?
He also said: The currency allocated to the field of medical equipment at the government exchange rate is about $ 1.7 billion, of which less than $ 1.3 billion has been provided.
The president of the Medical Equipment Traders’ Union said that the companies have no problem in providing us with medical equipment: Our most important problem is money transfers. On the other hand, because of the demands they have had from us in the past in the field of medical equipment, the companies may withdraw the money that we transfer with the problems for their previous demands and do not give us new goods. At the very least, the central bank should pay off the previous debts of foreign companies so that we can at least rest assured that they will not withdraw the money we send with problems for their previous demands.
“The central bank owes these foreign companies,” Sanei said. When the currency became a single currency, some goods were imported on credit and they did not think of settling them. At that time, the government announced to the central bank that it would settle the debt, and so far the central bank has not paid the debt, which amounts to 287 million euros for 153 companies.
Source: ISNA