The Ministry of Commerce is working hard to ensure people have access to essential medical supplies which are critical to the COVID-19 prevention, control and treatment activities, including liquid oxygen and oxygen cylinders, arranging the continuous importation on public holidays.
Yesterday, 30 empty oxygen containers and 1,944 oxygen concentrators were imported via aviation service at the Yangon International Airport. In addition, 79 tonnes of liquid oxygen, five tonnes of oxygen cylinders, one gas oxygen containers, three storage containers, 9,738 empty oxygen cylinders, 1,175 home oxygen concentrators, 40,680 PPE suits and 37 tonnes of masks were imported through border trade points.
A total of 743 tonnes of liquid oxygen, 171 tonnes of oxygen cylinders, 72 oxygen containers, seven liquid oxygen storage containers, six liquid oxygen distributors, 99,601 empty oxygen containers, 22 oxygen plants, 10 oxygen generators, 70,504 oxygen concentrators, 150,268 test kits, 473,012 PPE suits, 72 tonnes of gloves and 983 tonnes of masks have been imported to date in August.
From 1 July to 14 August, 1,570 tonnes of liquid oxygen, 738 tonnes of oxygen cylinders, nine tonnes of oxygen gas, 186 tonnes of oxygen cylinders, seven storage containers, six oxygen distributors, 140,092 empty oxygen cylinders, 30 oxygen plants, four oxygen filling machines, 2 pairs of oxygen refilling, 21 oxygen generators, 139,650 oxygen concentrators, 473,146 test kits, 656,037 PPE suits, 88 tonnes of gloves and 2,261 tonnes of masks were imported.
Of 76 liquid oxygen bowsers imported between 1 July and 14 August, 58 of them were distributed to Yangon, 11 to Mandalay, 2 to Bago, 4 to Mawlamyine and 1 to Thaton respectively. Among 30 oxygen plants, 5 were transported to Lashio, 4 to Yangon, 4 to Bago, 3 to Mandalay, 2 to Pakokku, 2 to Hpa-an, 2 to Mawlamyine, one each to Taunggyi, Thanbyuzayat, Magway, Dawei, Wakema, Myittha, Kyaukpadaung and Mogaung respectively.
The Ministry on 13 August announced that the border trade points will not be suspended from work on declared public holidays, from 16 to 22 August, and import operations will be conducted as usual.
The importation of COVID-19 devices will be allowed in accordance with the SOP priority, negotiated by relevant departments, and online import licence application will also be allowed as usual during the office hours.—MNA
