Premier Li Keqiang visited the national key medical supply support and dispatch platform for battling the novel coronavirus epidemic on Feb 1.

He inquired in detail about the production, dispatching and supplying of key medical materials, including protective clothing, surgical masks and medicines.

The Premier had video calls with manufacturers of medical protective clothing and masks in Henan and Fujian provinces and asked them whether there were any difficulties in hiring, raw materials or transportation. He then asked related departments to quickly solve their problems.

Premier Li stressed that China is at a crucial time in prevention and control of the novel coronavirus epidemic and that ensuring key medical supplies is the basic precondition for scientific and effective prevention and control.

“As soldiers should be well-equipped before they go to the battlefield, doctors must be equipped with not only the scalpel, but also medical protective clothing and masks,” said the Premier. “Although key medical materials are scarce in the whole country right now, Hubei province, especially Wuhan city, has the most urgent needs, and must be guaranteed first.”

Premier Li also told related enterprises to work hard, overtime if necessary, to support the battle against the novel coronavirus epidemic. Common efforts by society should be made to win the battle that is a matter of life and health of hundreds of millions of Chinese people.