“The coronavirus crisis began with a huge sense of uncertainty. Suddenly we were hit with a virus, an emergency, hordes of sick people. A national and global pandemic. So where to begin? How do you understand and map out your needs? How do you swiftly recruit partners and provide efficient and appropriate solutions?
Amid the chaos, we came to realize that more and more people were becoming infected with the virus. But on top of all this, the infection rate among medical staff was incredibly high. We realized that we had a huge problem in terms of protective equipment for doctors and medical staff, combined with a wider shortage of equipment in the medical system. But what exactly was there a shortage of? What was the extent of it? Which equipment was most urgently needed? How could we communicate these gaps?
At the same time, I received messages from civilian organizations that we routinely work with, asking how they can lend their assistance with the medical crisis. I’m talking about developers, engineers, 3D printer operators – an entire group of people willing and able to produce whatever was missing. On our part, however, we didn’t really know where to begin.
So I sent a message on the Network WhatsApp group and asked where assistance was needed. I imagined that amid this mess, the Network would provide me with a clear picture of everything going on in hospitals, while rapidly helping me create the right solutions.
I received replies from members of the INBAR program, who are the most qualified to identify these specific needs. They explained that the greatest shortage was in basic protective gear, such as face masks. Armed with this information, I went back to the makers we work with and together we checked what could be done and how. They all gladly volunteered their support for whatever the medical teams needed.
But how could we transport the personal protective equipment that would be produced? How could we ensure that the new masks would arrive quickly to Northern Israel? Or to a clinic in the South? How could we generate swift transportation that would not hold up the emergency production & supply line that was created? And it goes without saying that all this had to take place during a lockdown.
We began exploring collaborations with other MAOZ Network members who were willing to assist in transporting the equipment. Ultimately, we cooperated with a Network member at UPS who helped move the new equipment speedily from one location to another.
Another collaboration came out of it too, as a Network member working for the Lev Ehad organization took it upon the organization to carry out the complex logistical transportation task.
After several days I revisited a message I had received on the MAOZ WhatsApp group, in response to my request for information regarding shortages. The message was from a Network member who works at a philanthropic foundation. He informed me that the foundation wanted to help too. He asked that I let him know what to do.
So I got back to him and we brainstormed how we could support the manufacturers who were working on a fully volunteer basis and at their own expense to make up the shortages in equipment. We greatly appreciated their efforts and obviously would have liked to compensate them enough to cover the cost of the raw materials.Working together, we succeeded in soliciting a grant, and with the help of our partnership with MAOZ, we were able to transfer the money professionally and efficiently, with minimal hassle.
This shows that, whatever challenge arose along the way, we were able to find a solution through the Network – which enables me and us to act swiftly, efficiently and mainly with great flexibility.
Today, the entire process (coordination, production, and supply) is essentially autonomous. The effort now extends even beyond the Network, as quite a few hospitals and printing shops collaborate directly between themselves.
As for us, we will continue to learn how to do things even better and more precisely. For example, we are busy developing a joint online system that will allow manufacturers and hospitals to remain in touch and communicate needs and solutions swiftly, with no need for a mediating party. Simplicity, efficiency and swiftness are what we need and are now able to achieve.