MOSCOW, March 30. /TASS/. Ventilator stocks at Russian medical facilities need to be boosted due to the spread of the coronavirus, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with his envoys to the country’s federal districts on Monday.

"There is a need to boost our ventilator stocks," he pointed out.

Putin noted that such devices were crucial for the treatment of severe coronavirus cases, and handed down instructions to make an inventory of ventilators, so that "we have a full picture not only of the number of devices but also of their readiness to be used, the availability of spare parts and consumables."

The head of state also emphasized the need for professionals qualified to use such equipment and ordered his envoys to assist efforts to provide additional training of doctors.

In addition, Putin stressed that drug provision was an issue of paramount importance. "An additional reserve must be created for all the drugs that are currently used to combat coronavirus and complications caused by it," the president ordered.