All-out efforts made to strengthen medical supply

Guizhou province in Southwest China is making all-out efforts to relieve difficulties brought about by a shortage of basic medicine amid the surge of COVID-19 infections across the country.

Li Wei, head of the Guizhou Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, said that his department has taken a number of measures to ensure the supply of medicine and COVID-19 antigen test kits.

Efforts have been made to encourage enterprises engaged in the marketing and circulation of medical supplies to purchase a large number of medicines and drugs that are listed on the national pharmaceutical catalog for the treatment of the COVID-19.

With the increased coordination of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on medical supplies and the improvement of domestic production capacity, the supply of basic medicines has been gradually increased, Li said.

He said that difficulties in buying medicine have been alleviated, but some regions still have a supply imbalance.

"We will continue to focus on the key drugs and medicines that are most in need and work with the agricultural and rural departments as well as the health care departments to further find out the demand and improve the accuracy and timeliness of supply," Li said.

The province has prepared 1.3 million medical kits containing medicine for fever and cough, masks, antigens, and alcohol for disinfectant, which are being prepared for people aged 65 and above as well as for other at-risk groups. "We will try to meet the demand for medicines in a timely manner so that people can enjoy a safe and healthy Spring Festival," Li said.