Medicalequipmentanddrugssent,proceduresinplaceforsafetreatment

OxygenequipmentandCOVID-19drugshavebeenpouringintoChina"sruralareasinconcertedeffortstostrengthenmedicalcapacityinthecountrysidetofightthedisease.

WangHuibo,avolunteerattheFosunFoundation,brought200bottlesofthedomesticallydevelopedCOVIDtreatmentAzvudinetoXinmintownship,Sichuanprovince,onJan19anddistributedthemtoelderlyresidentswiththehelpoflocalhealthcareworkers.

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"Logisticsnetworksareunderstrainduringtheholiday.Thoughthevillageisremoteandcominghereinpersonmeansanarduousjourney,wethinkit"stotallyworthittobringthesedrugsintothehandsofpeoplewhoneedthem,"hesaid.

LikeotheroralCOVIDpills,Azvudineshouldbetakenwithinfivedaysofthefirstsignofsymptomstohelppreventhigh-riskpatientsfrombecomingseriouslyill.However,asaprescriptiondrug,administeringittopatientsshouldbeoverseenbyaphysician.

"Wecamehereabitconcernedoverwhetherthesedrugscanbeputintoproperuse,butitisabigreassurancetoseethatlocalhealthofficialshavedevisedproceduresaftermuchdeliberation,"hesaid.

Wangsaidvillagedoctorshadbeenaskedtonotifyelderlypeopleinadvanceandbriefthemaboutthemedication.

Atthetownship"shealthclinic,elderlypeopleregistertheirname,age,telephonenumberandthenameoftheruraldoctorassignedtomonitortheirhealthconditionbeforepickingupthemedication.

"Anexpertfromthecounty-levelhospitalalsoaccompaniedustosupervisetheprocedure,andhelpgiveinstructionsontakingthedrug,suchaspatientswithkidneyproblemsshouldhaveahealthcheckupatahospitalandconsultadoctorbeforestartingtreatment,"hesaid.

XiaoJianhong,headofthehealthbureauofShimiancounty,whichadministersXinmintownship,saidthatalthoughthepeakofrecentinfectionshaspassed,the40-daySpringFestivaltravelrushfromJan7toFeb15posesfreshchallenges."Theshipmentof1,000bottlesisindeedtimelyassistance,"hesaid.

TheFosunFoundation,togetherwithdrugmanufacturersFosunPharmaandGenuineBiotech,willdonateAzvudineworth100millionyuan($14.7million)toruralareas.

Toblunttheimpactofoutbreaksinthecountryside,agroupofseniorhealthexpertsbasedinShanghaihasestablishedanexpertcommitteeaimedatimprovingruraldoctors"knowledgeofCOVID-19preventionandtreatment.

ChenErzhen,vice-presidentofShanghai"sRuijinHospital,whichisaffiliatedwithShanghaiJiaoTongUniversity"sSchoolofMedicine,saidduringarecenttrainingsessionheldbythecommitteethatruraldoctorsshouldimprovetheirabilitytodetectpatientsatriskofdevelopingseverecases.Thisincludesidentifyingtelltalesymptomsoflowoxygenlevelsinbloodanddeliveringtreatmenttopatientsasearlyaspossible.

Effortstoincreasetheavailabilityofessentialmedicalequipmenthavealsoaccelerated.

TheStateCouncilhassent32workinggroupstoruralareastosurveythepeople"sneedsandmobilizeresourcestoaddressthemostacutedemands.Theactionsresultedinanationwidecampaigntoequipeachvillage-levelhealthfacilitywithtwopulseoximeters,whichmeasuretheoxygensaturationinblood,andeachtownship-levelhealthcenterwithanoxygenconcentrator.

AccordingtotheMinistryofAgricultureandRuralAffairs,byJan17,CainiaoLogistics,whichofferedtomakedeliveries,hadsentnearly1.18millionpulseoximeterstoruralareas.

YuwellGroup,amedicalequipmentmanufacturer,offeredtodonatemorethan11,500oxygenconcentratorsforruralhealthclinicsinpreviouslyimpoverishedcounties.Thecompanyprioritizedproductionofthesedonationsandsentthemwithinaweek.

"Wehavecoordinatedandunitedmultilateraleffortstobolsterantivirussupportforruralareas,"saidMaoDezhi,anofficialattheministry."Wehavenotonlysentmedicalequipmenttoruralareas,butalsoprovidedthemwithguidanceandservicestohelpresolvetheirmedicaldemandsandensurethattheycanovercomeinfectionpeaks."

GuoYanhong,headoftheNationalHealthCommission"smedicalemergencydepartment,saidthecommissionhasbeenincreasingstockpilesofkeymedicalequipment,includingoxygenbagsandcylinders,oxygenconcentratorsandpulseoximeters.

"Wehavealsosetupamechanismtomonitorandallocatedruginventories,"shesaidonJan19."Sofar,theshortageofcommondrugsattownshiphealthclinicshasbeengreatlyeased."

wangxiaoyu@chinadaily.com.cn

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