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Mask shops: Spahn under criticism - billions and chaos!
The article highlights Jens Spahn's role in mask procurement during the corona pandemic and criticizes financial decisions.
Mask shops: Spahn under criticism - billions and chaos!
Five years ago, in the midst of the corona pandemic, the procurement of protective masks kept the entire nation on tenterhooks. Jens Spahn, then Federal Minister of Health, is now at the center of the discussion about the catastrophic procurement measures. This is reported by the Wiesbaden courier. He admits that in the situation at the time, action had to be taken quickly, without having a blueprint or risk assessment. “In times of need, the motto was to procure masks, regardless of the cost,” said Spahn.
The circumstances under which the masks were procured were anything but ideal. Many people made their own masks, and it was even recommended to bake used masks. The pressure on politics and the health system was enormous when there were supply bottlenecks and masks, ventilators and disinfectants became scarce. Spahn expresses surprise at how quickly the dramatic situation has been forgotten.
Internal report causes excitement
The Ministry of Health contacted the Ministry of Interior directly to enforce this decision. Spahn justified himself by saying that the emergency required this. Fiege, however, proved overwhelmed by the large amount of masks, which further compounded the problems. Over 100 retailers are now suing the federal government, and many are increasingly winning. The federal government could have lost over 2.3 billion euros as a result of these mask deals.
Overprocurement and administration costs
According to that Federal Audit Office At the beginning of the pandemic, a total of 5.7 billion masks were purchased at a price of 5.9 billion euros. However, the actual need was much lower and over two-thirds of these masks were never used. To date, there are 800 million masks in stock for which there is no concept of use and distribution. More than 1.2 billion of the masks have already had to be destroyed because they had exceeded their expiration date.
The follow-up costs incurred through storage, logistics and administration will add up to 460 million euros by the end of 2023. The ministry expects further significant expenditure in 2024. All of this leads to the big question: How can politicians learn from these mistakes in order to be better positioned in future crises?
The process of coming to terms with this chaotic phase is far from complete. Spahn and the Ministry of Health are in the spotlight as the public discussion about the costs incurred and the quality of the decisions continues.