China ensures medical supplies for frontline medics

A press conference is held by the State Council Information Office in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Feb. 20, 2020. Ding Xiangyang (2nd L), deputy secretary-general of the State Council, Lian Weiliang (2nd R), deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission of China, and Yu Yanhong (1st R), an official with the National Health Commission, attended the press conference. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

WUHAN, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- The key supplies for medical personnel on the frontlines to fight the novel coronavirus epidemic in central China's Hubei Province are guaranteed, and the supplies of living materials are basically abundant.

Lian Weiliang, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission, made the remarks at a video press briefing Thursday in Wuhan, the epicenter of the epidemic.

On Feb. 19, a total of 336,000 N95 masks and 133,000 protective suits were collected across the country and supplied to Hubei, said Lian.

With the growing number of medical workers sent to Hubei to aid the fight against the virus, as well as the confirmed and suspected patients admitted to hospital for treatment, there will be a huge demand for medical supplies.

There are still some structural problems in the varieties of medical material provisions, according to Lian.

Meanwhile, to increase the number of hospital beds to take in more patients, Wuhan has built eleven makeshift hospitals and set up over 400 medical quarantine sites, Ding Xiangyang, deputy secretary-general of the State Council, or the cabinet, said at the press briefing.

The designated hospitals, makeshift hospitals and quarantine sites in Wuhan are expected to offer about 70,000 hospital beds, added Lian.

Since the coronavirus outbreak, the central government has subsidized over 700 million yuan (nearly 100 million U.S. dollars) to improve the medical treatment capability of the province.

In addition, about 2,000 tonnes of pork have been transported to Wuhan from other regions of the country to increase local supplies. More tonnes of staple foods, meats, vegetables and other food will be provided to Hubei.