Claim: United States health care facilities face an intravenous bag shortage because of the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Maria in September 2017.
Verdict: SUPPORTS

Retrieved passages:
title: Hurricane Maria
text: since. This has caused a months long shortage in medical supplies in the United States, especially IV bags. Small IV bags often come pre-filled with saline or common drugs in solution, and have forced health care providers to scramble behind the scenes for alternative methods of drug delivery. In January 2018, when the shortage was projected to ease, flu season hit and led to a spike in patients. By the end of January 2018, approximately 450,000 customers remained without power island-wide. On February 11, an explosion and fire damaged a power substation in Monacillo, causing a large blackout in northern

title: Economic policy of the Nicolás Maduro administration
text: blame since 86% of medical supplies are imported. An "Associated Press" report dated February 2014 noted that "legions of the sick across the country" were being "neglected by a health care system doctors say is collapsing after years of deterioration." Doctors at one hospital "sent home 300 cancer patients ... when supply shortages and overtaxed equipment made it impossible for them to perform non-emergency surgeries." The government, which controlled "the dollars needed to buy medical supplies," had "simply not made enough" dollars available for those supplies, the AP reported. As a result, "many patients began dying from easily treatable illnesses

title: 2017–18 United States flu season
text: hospitals normally go through hundreds of IV bags a day to replenish fluids and give drugs, but during the shortage, some hospitals had resorted to directly injecting drugs into the vein via an IV push. "Time" also published an article arguing that the United States had become complacent concerning the flu, and that more needed to be done. 2017–18 United States flu season The 2017–18 United States flu season refers to influenza activity taking place in the United States from late 2017 through early 2018. The dominant strain of influenza was H3N2. In all states except Hawaii and Oregon, the

title: Healthcare in Venezuela
text: and Clinics explained how in less than a month, shortages of 53 medical products rose to 109 products and explained how the CADIVI system is to blame since 86% of supplies are imported with private sector hospitals claiming they owe suppliers billions of dollars in order to pay for debts. In early 2015, only 35% of hospital beds were available and 50% of operating rooms could not function due to the lack of resources. In March 2015, a Venezuelan NGO, Red de Medicos por la Salud, reported that there was a 68% shortage of surgical supplies and a 70% shortage

title: Hurricane Maria
text: 28, 44 percent of the population remained without drinking water and the U.S. military was shifting from "a short term, sea-based response to a predominantly land-based effort designed to provide robust, longer term support" with fuel delivery a top priority. A joint Army National Guard and Marine expeditionary unit (MEU) team established an Installation Staging Base at the former Roosevelt Roads Naval Station; they transported via helicopter Department of Health and Human Services assessment teams to hospitals across Puerto Rico to determine medical requirements. On September 29, the amphibious assault ship which had been providing relief activities to the island

title: Hurricane Maria
text: Juan on October 3. A couple of days later, "Comfort" departed on an around the island tour to assist, remaining a dozen miles off shore. Patients were brought to the ship by helicopter or boat tender after being referred by Puerto Rico's Department of Health. However, most of the 250 bed floating state-of-the-art hospital went unused despite overburdened island clinics and hospitals because there were few referrals. Governor Rosselló explained on or about October 17 that "The disconnect or the apparent disconnect was in the communications flow" and added "I asked for a complete revision of that so that we

title: Crisis in Venezuela
text: lack of resources. In March 2015, a Venezuelan NGO, Red de Medicos por la Salud, reported that there was a 68% shortage of surgical supplies and a 70% shortage of medicines in Venezuelan pharmacies. In May 2015, the Venezuelan Medical Federation said that 15,000 doctors had left the public health care system because of shortages of drugs and equipment and poor pay. In August 2015 Human Rights Watch said “We have rarely seen access to essential medicines deteriorate as quickly as it has in Venezuela except in war zones”. By the end of 2015, the Government reported that of all

title: Effects of Hurricane Irma in Florida
text: and found many patients suffering from heat stroke or a fever, with some having a body temperature as high as . Over 100 patients were transported to nearby hospitals due to respiratory distress and heat-related issues, though at least 8 died at the nursing home, with a total of 12 patients ultimately perishing. A lawyer hired by the family of one victim stated that the facility had more than a week to prepare and accused the nursing home of putting profits ahead of safety. In October, Governor Scott implemented emergency rules requiring assisted living facilities and nursing homes to have

title: Healthcare in Cuba
text: such as aspirin and antibiotics are conspicuously absent or only available on the black market. Surgeons lack basic supplies and must re-use latex gloves. Patients must buy their own sutures on the black market and provide bedsheets and food for extended hospital stays. The Cuban government blames the shortages on the embargo and states that those with more severe chronic diseases receive medicines. However, other sources suggest that those with such diseases lack medicines. It is also suggested that in some cases the local non-dollar stocks have been shipped abroad. The U.S. State Department has argued that during the economic

title: USNS Comfort (T-AH-20)
text: Ecuador, Colombia, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Haiti. During this mission, the ship's crew set up medical and surgical civil action program sites. These temporary medical clinics included primary care, internal medicine, obstetrics, and pediatric physicians as well as physical therapy, dental, radiology, laboratory, and pharmacy services. On board the ship general surgery, ophthalmology, oral and maxillofacial, and orthopedic surgeries were performed on pre-screened patients. On 29 September 2017, the ship set sail for Puerto Rico to bring assistance to the island after Hurricane Maria had hit it nine days earlier. She arrived the evening of October 3,

title: Disaster medicine
text: commonly arise in disaster settings. One of the most common dilemmas occurs when the aggregate medical need exceeds the ability to provide a normal standard of care for all patients. "Triage" In the event of a future pandemic, the number of patients that require additional respiratory support will outnumber the number of available ventilators. Although a hypothetical example, similar natural disasters have occurred in the past. Historically, the influenza pandemic of 1918-19 and the more recent SARS epidemic in 2003 led to resource scarcity and necessitated triage. One paper estimated that in the United States, the need for ventilators would

title: Hurricane Maria death toll controversy
text: the US Virgin Islands. The agency admitted logistical failures, personnel shortages, and communication troubles with the local government vastly hampered their ability to assist in recovery. Inland communities remained isolated for days after the storm struck, leaving the territory's poor and elderly especially vulnerable. Injured persons or those in need of regular medical care (such as dialysis) were unable to access emergency services for prolonged periods of time. Food and water shortages exacerbated the risk of death, especially in inland communities. In the months following Maria, the official death toll relayed from the Government of Puerto Rico came into question

title: Social effects of Hurricane Katrina
text: citizens otherwise stranded by the hurricane's catastrophic effect on hospital infrastructure in Louisiana and Mississippi. These supplies served an estimated 30 acute care hospitals south of Interstate Highway 10, and volunteers organized around its, "contingency stations," to become temporary stand-ins for hospitals, warehouses, and distribution facilities damaged by the storm. Alongside strong responses from state and local medical teams, CDC support remained crucial until normal infrastructure support began to return a week and a half later. Within days after landfall, medical authorities established contingency treatment facilities for over 10,000 people, and plans to treat thousands more were developing. Partnerships with

title: Hurricane Maria
text: the military, FEMA and other government agencies, and the private sector. Massive amounts of water, food, and fuel either had been delivered to ports in Puerto Rico or were held up at ports in the mainland United States because there was a lack of truck drivers to move the goods into the interior; the lack of communication networks hindered the effort as only 20% of drivers reported to work. As of September 28, the Port of San Juan had only been able to dispatch 4% of deliveries received and had very little room to accept additional shipments. As of September

title: U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007
text: quantity of new prescription pads that will be needed," said Dr. Edward Langston, chairman of the board for the American Medical Association (as reported to the Associated Press). Dr. Langston also warned that, in effect, such a rapid implementation of law threatens access to medicine. The AP article also reported that CMS spokesperson Steve Hahn indicated that there were no plans to push back the October 1 implementation date, but that the agency is talking with "health care providers" to help prepare. was a bill for "Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, and for

title: Ramstein air show disaster
text: several German medevac helicopters and ambulances had already arrived on site and left with patients. American helicopters and ambulances provided the quickest and largest means of evacuating burn victims, but lacked sufficient capacities for treating them, or had difficulty finding them. Further confusion was added by the American military's usage of different standards for intravenous catheters from German paramedics. (A single standard was codified in 1995 and updated with a newer version in 2013). A crisis counseling center was immediately established at the nearby Southside Base Chapel and remained open throughout the week. Base mental health professionals provided group and

title: Memorial Medical Center and Hurricane Katrina
text: Memorial Medical Center and Hurricane Katrina Dr. Anna Pou was on duty at Memorial Medical Center when Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, Louisiana on August 29, 2005. In the aftermath of the storm, after the levees failed and despite rising water and no electricity, she and other doctors and nurses attempted to continue caring for patients. On Wednesday, August 31, United States Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt reassured the public that 2,500 patients would be evacuated from hospitals in Orleans Parish, although it wasn't clear at first where they would be moved to. On September 11, 45 bodies

title: Memorial Medical Center and Hurricane Katrina
text: future mass casualty situations. Memorial Medical Center and Hurricane Katrina Dr. Anna Pou was on duty at Memorial Medical Center when Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, Louisiana on August 29, 2005. In the aftermath of the storm, after the levees failed and despite rising water and no electricity, she and other doctors and nurses attempted to continue caring for patients. On Wednesday, August 31, United States Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt reassured the public that 2,500 patients would be evacuated from hospitals in Orleans Parish, although it wasn't clear at first where they would be moved to. On

title: Criticism of government response to Hurricane Katrina
text: Hospital in New Orleans, Bob Herbert wrote, "Incredibly, when the out-of-state corporate owners of the hospital responded to the flooding by sending emergency relief supplies, they were confiscated at the airport by FEMA." A September 16, 2005 CNN article about Chalmette Medical Center stated, "Doctors eager to help sick and injured evacuees were handed mops by federal officials who expressed concern about legal liability ... And so they mopped, while people died around them." FEMA Director, Michael Brown, was criticized when he stated that he was not aware there were refugees in the Convention Center until September 1, three days

title: Hurricane Maria death toll controversy
text: instance a facility's director in Vega Alta died from a heart attack. The George Washington University study determined that this heart attack was directly caused by the number of bodies at the facility. Eric Klinenberg, director of New York University's Institute for Public Knowledge, cautioned that the deaths tallied through just funeral homes would still be below the actual death toll as many victims would simply not be sent to such facilities for processing. Comparing average monthly deaths to the reported deaths in 2017, "The New York Times" calculated an increase of 1,052 fatalities in the 42 days following Maria