By Keen Zhang
China.org.cn correspondent reporting from Sichuan
zhangr@china.org.cn
At 7:00 AM, the last batch of 18,400 emergency medical kits was dispatched to Chengdu from Xiamen, marking the last of the 100,020 medical kits and 10,080 tubes of mosquito repellent sent without mishap to earthquake-hit areas by China's inspection and quarantine authorities.
In addition, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) has sent various health and epidemic prevention teams to Sichuan. By May 27, 1,228 staff members had sanitized areas totaling 27.36 million square kilometers by spraying 25,703 kilograms of disinfecting liquid.
Wang Jishun, the director of the Sichuan Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, told China.org.cn that they were trying their best to mobilize everything necessary to prevent any possible widespread epidemics with the help of AQSIQ. Their daily tasks included disinfecting areas, repairing equipment, water monitoring and more.
"Our people ran to the battlefront before anyone else," Wang added, with pride.
AQSIQ also organized a national special equipment technical service team that quickly repaired 20,918 pieces of special equipment such as elevators and baric oxygen chambers for use in medical treatment in Chengdu, Deyang, Mianyang, Ya'an, and Aba. Consequently, the lives of 4 million people are back to normal.
By May 26, 20 more batches of international relief supplies and imported relief materials had arrived in China, now totaling 321 batches since the earthquake struck. The inspection and quarantine authorities at the port of entry carried out a quick inspection as specified and released these supplies as fast as possible.
However, despite the efforts of AQSIQ and other quarantine departments and hospitals, medicines and masks are still needed desperately in quake-hit regions.
"For example, it remains difficult to transport supplies to Wenchuan, the epicenter," Liu Bin, an officer with the 302 PLA Hospital, told China.org.cn yesterday.