Covid-19: Taranaki DHB asks for return of over 500 pulse oximeters

Taranaki is missing about 500 pulse oximeters that people have forgotten to return after being lent while with Covid-19.

The District Health Board is asking for them back, saying they are down to a very low stockpile and might have to buy more.

Taranaki DHB chief operating manager Gillian Campbell told Morning Report people had probably just forgotten.

"We've got over 500 out in circulation, that would be great to get back so they can be reused.

"We're down to a few. We've got enough to hand out to people who really need them, but we're going to have to order more if they don't start to come back."

She said there was a message on the $90 devices asking people to return it.

Campbell said people often thought they could keep equipment like crutches indefinitely, but that was not the case. She asked if those could be returned too.

Last month MidCentral DHB offered $20 grocery vouchers for the return of its pulse oximeters.

"We haven't looked at incentives. We'd like to hope that our messaging out to the community just reminds people to get them back and we're open to them to be dropped," Campbell said.