Porsche donates €1.3-M to hospitals needing ventilators and other equipment against pandemic

• Anesthetic machines and a device that can detect coronavirus among other items
• Recipients say various equipment will also benefit people with other illnesses
• Project follows Porsche initiatives like airlifting medical kit from China to Germany

Porsche has again strengthened its efforts at stemming the tide of COVID-19 by donating €1.3 million to two medical facilities in Stuttgart, Germany, where the sports car maker is based.

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Receiving the bulk of the donation are the Katharinenhospital, Bad Cannstatt and the Olgahospital, Germany’s largest children’s hospital. The facilities will use the grant to acquire 21 ventilators, 20 anesthetic machines, endoscopes for intubation and a LightCycler 480 laboratory apparatus designed to detect the coronavirus in DNA samples.

Other facilities benefitting from the donation are Klinikum Stuttgart and the Marienhospital, which will use the funds to help purchase 15,000 FFP2 protective masks, 100,000 premium mouth and nose protective masks, a mobile X-ray unit, oxygen flowmeters and 30 syringe infusion pumps which continuously inject medication into patients. The amount will also be used to link bedside machines installed at the additional intensive care beds to the hospitals’ patient data management system network.

The hospitals noted that once the coronavirus crisis is over, the equipment will also benefit people with other illnesses.

Porsche’s donation to Klinikum Stuttgart is seen to significantly expand the hospital’s test capacities for detecting COVID-19 infections, helping to gradually ease the spread of the virus. Klinikum Stuttgart have more than doubled its ventilation capacity, from 90 beds at the beginning of the year to over 200 at present.

“The outstanding performance of the healthcare services in Germany has been im`pressively demonstrated over recent weeks. But more support is needed. At Porsche, helping others is something that is deeply rooted in our culture. In this case, we are supporting the demanding work of doctors and nursing staff and ensuring the best possible care of patients,” said Andreas Haffner, member of the Executive Board of Human Resources and Social Affairs at Porsche AG.Some of Porsche’s earlier initiatives at addressing the spread of COVID-19 include organizing the airlift of medical equipment from China to Germany; auctioning off the last Porsche 991-generation 911 Speedster, proceeds for which are intended for various coronavirus-related projects; supporting food banks in Germany; and donating €5 million to local organizations