TEHRAN,Iran, March.30
Trend:
Iranian Mines & Mining Industries Development & Renovation (IMIDRO), has assigned $30 million to import 11 million face masks for hospitals, said the economic and development director of IMIDRO Amir Sabagh, Trend reports citing IRNA.
"Part of the purchased masks has already being imported to the country while the rest would arrive soon," said Sabagh.
"The import includes 9 million surgical masks and 2 million N95 masks that would be sent to all of the country's provinces," he said.
"Part of face mask imports will be distributed to medical science universities. Hospitals are considered the front line to fight the coronavirus spread, therefore IMIDRO plans to cover them," he added.
"There has been an agreement between the Health Ministry and the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade to provide 35 million mask valued 11.8 million Yuan via barter between IMIDRO and the mask-producing company," he said.
"The Ministry of Industries Mine and Trade has agreed to provide foreign currency for importing alcohol from Armenia to Western provinces," he said.
"IMIDRO is to provide $15 million to import nursing gown, the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade is to introduce the importing company that would import minimum of 200,000 gowns," he added.
"The Iranian holding (IMIDRO) has also distributed antiseptics, gloves and masks to public organizations including police , judiciary, Iran's Welfare Organization," he said.
Iran is one of the countries heavily affected by the rapidly-spreading coronavirus. According to recent reports from the Iranian officials, over 41,400 people have been infected, 2,757 people have already died. Meanwhile, over 13,900 have reportedly recovered from the disease.
The country continues to apply strict measures to contain the further spread. Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease.
The Islamic Republic only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19.