Mask Shortage in Medical Field... Government Unifies Supply Method

Mask Supply and Distribution Centered on Four Associations

On the 5th, a COVID-19 screening clinic official at the Gangbuk-gu Public Health Center in Seoul is waving goodbye to an acquaintance from a distance.

In the midst of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) crisis, the supply method for masks will be unified to prevent disruptions in mask procurement at medical institutions.

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) announced on the 5th that masks will be supplied and distributed centered around four medical associations: the Korean Hospital Association, the Korean Medical Association, the Korean Dental Association, and the Korean Oriental Medicine Association.

Until now, mask supply involved individual contracts between manufacturers, medical institutions, and public sales agencies, with masks delivered to each hospital and clinic, but going forward, masks will be supplied through the associations.

This is to improve the situation where smaller medical institutions have difficulty receiving adequate mask supplies.

Mask manufacturers will enter into bulk contracts with the Public Procurement Service, and the associations will receive mask quantities and supply them to medical institutions according to distribution standards and methods.

Frontline medical institutions must apply for mask supply through their respective associations.

The CDSCH requested the associations to consider factors such as the number of medical staff at each institution to ensure masks are properly distributed to medical sites, and also asked for cooperation so that distribution can occur regardless of membership status.

Additionally, to ensure masks are delivered without disruption, a 'supply and demand monitoring system' will be established, and related information such as supply status by association will be managed on a daily basis.

Park Neung-hoo, the first deputy head of the CDSCH (Minister of Health and Welfare), stated, "Given the limited mask production, we expect that masks will be stably supplied to medical personnel who are fully dedicated to patient care."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.