First consignment of medical relief equipment reaches Pakistan from China

PCR testing kits, mobile X-ray machines and KN95 masks among other equipment

ISLAMABAD: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Friday received the first consignment of the medical relief equipment, procured with the financial assistance from the National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) amid pandemic outbreak in the country.

The consignment, which reached Islamabad airport from China on Friday, included medical equipment such as PCR testing kits, mobile X-ray machines, Chinese KN95 masks, disposable medical masks and water-impermeable surgical gowns.

The NDMA is procuring health products in a phased manner. Till date, the authority had procured 36,000 screening kits, 14 X-ray machines, 196 clinical ICU ventilators, 150,000 KN95 masks, 2 million disposable medical masks, 40 large biosafety cabinets, 30,000 water-impermeable surgical gowns, besides PPE, under the grant financing from the NDRMF.

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Considering the availability of limited health management resources in the country to manage the growing number of cases every day, the government requested the international development partners to help it bridge the financial gap to procure medical and health equipment to respond efficiently to control the spread of the virus.

The NDRMF was the first donor to approve the grant financing to the NDMA. It approved project aimed to ‘Enhance Pakistan’s Capacity for Preparedness and Response for COVID-19’ with the total project cost of Rs7.9 billion.



The NDRMF deposited Rs3.2 billion in the government account, which facilitated in the timely procurements of necessary medical and health equipment from abroad. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) also re-appropriated an additional $30 million from the loan granted to NDRMF.

The NDMA, being the lead operational agency to coordinate COVID-19 response, will be responsible for the overall management of project, including procurement, quality assurance, inventory and supply chain management and financial and audit arrangements.