The Ministry of Health of Panama ( Minsa ) in the "Questionnaire on the issue of the inter-institutional purchasing table regarding COVID-19 " made by the Budget Commission of the National Assembly the total it has paid to the hotels after admission coronavirus patients and the number of respirators purchased in 2020.

Regarding how much the State paid in hospital hotels in 2020, Luis Carlos Moreno, director of the Minsa Administration, pointed out that some $3,969,405.99 was disbursed.

Moreno added that initially during the COVID-19 pandemic about 10 hours hotels distributed by regions were used as follows: a hotel in Las Cumbres, used for both Colón and the North region; 4 hotels in Panama, 1 in Changuinola, 1 Chiriquí, 1 Veraguas el Vista Lago, 1 Coclé and 1 hotel in Colón.

Currently, and due to the decrease in cases, the number of hotels to be used has been reduced and the Minsa has only requested the accommodation of 4 hotels for passengers from South America and countries with restrictions, which are El Gamboa, Oriental, Central Park and the Caribbean. While for the other patients who are positive for COVID-19, the Golden Tower is used.

It was noted that these hotels were chosen through a convocation process.

For its part, the National Director of Provision of Services of the Minsa, Yelkis Gill revealed that by 2020 about 230 fans were purchased by different mechanisms and 28 fans were received. The official did not detail the amount of the purchase, but she did detail that when purchases are made, it is tried that they have maintenance as a whole and if they are donated, the product guarantee is requested.

Gill added that the ventilators were purchased from Metrotonik, Alpha Medic and Casa del Médico; while the donation was made by the Dräger company.