Beijing has banned private charities and volunteers from entering Hubei Province, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, or sending materials to hospitals directly.
It’s unclear why authorities made the decision.
Meanwhile, Chinese netizens complained on social media that officially sanctioned charity organizations were complicated and slow in their processing, delaying shipments to hospitals in Hubei.
The deadly virus first broke out in Wuhan City, the capital of Hubei. As the illness spreads, the city has been pushed to the brink of a public health crisis, as hospitals report being overwhelmed with patients, many of them in dire need of medicine and supplies.
Since Jan. 22, the city has been on transportation lockdown to try to contain the virus; meanwhile, 18 of 19 cities in Hubei Province are now under quarantine. Travel restrictions have also delayed shipments of medical supplies.
Official Ban
China’s Civil Affairs Ministry published a Jan. 26 notice that banned any privately run charities or volunteers from entering Hubei, and added that all future donations should be handled by official, state-run charities instead.
The notice explained that Hubei is currently lacking medical protective suits, surgical masks, protective goggles, disinfectant, and other equipment.
According to the announcement, donated materials can’t be delivered directly to hospitals. All official charities must report donations to the Hubei provincial and Wuhan municipal disease control groups, and those agencies will allocate the materials to different hospitals.
Only after receiving instructions from officials can charities can arrange the shipments.
