Over 22 million pieces of protective equipment shipped to UK from China
The UK government has flown over 22 million pieces of PPE and more than 1000 ventilators to the NHS and Social Care Services from China over the last three weeks.
The British Embassy in Beijing worked with the Department of Health to procure and source these donations of medical equipment from China.
The equipment was shipped between 2 April and 25 April in 20 flights operated by passenger airlines including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, as well as various cargo operators and delivery specialists. The China Civil Aviation Authority granted the UK special permission to allow passenger routes to take cargo for the shipment.
Dame Barbara Woodward, British Ambassador to China, said:
I am delighted that we have been able to deliver huge quantities of lifesaving equipment for the NHS and our social care services.
Our strong trade relationship with our Chinese partners has meant that we have been able to source the right equipment and we have seen both UK and Chinese firms contribute to our joint fight against COVID-19.
We are working round the clock to bolster the NHS supplies and save lives and we are seeking further deliveries as a matter of urgency.
Donations arrive in the UK
Almost 2.5 million of the PPE equipment is donated by Chinese organisations including British Chinese Community Zhejiang UK Association. The biggest donor so far is Bank of China, whose over 1.8 million pieces of PPE and 20 ventilators have already reached the UK. Guys and St Thomas hospital and Age UK have also received the medical supplies donated by Chinese organisations.
David Lawson, Chief Procurement Officer at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust said:
We are very grateful for donations from the British Chinese Community and for the support of the British Embassy in Beijing, both of which have helped to ensure a steady and timely supply of PPE and other vital medical equipment to help the NHS response to COVID-19.
Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director of Age UK, said:
We are grateful to the people of Changsha for their kind support and donation to Age UK during this challenging time.
The masks we received will be given to our local Age UKs which are providing practical support in their communities, including helping people who are recovering from the virus to leave hospital and go back to their homes, and will help to keep staff and older people safe.
At the start of the COVID-19 crisis the UK provided much needed supplies to the people of Wuhan including goggles and gloves. UK firms that have donated equipment to China include AstraZeneca and GSK.
The British Embassy in Beijing, including staff from the Department for International Trade, Foreign Office, UK Visas and Immigration and the Ministry of Defence worked together to support the procurement, logistics and coordination of donations.
Further information
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Chinese organisations that donated medical equipment to UK: Dalian Haiqing Food, Tencent, Chinese Chevening Alumni, Administrative Committee of Changsha National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, First Affiliated Hospital of Sun-Yat Sen University, China Construction Bank, Hangzhou Foreign and Affairs Office and Fosun International.
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UK organisations that donated medical equipment to China: GSK, AstraZeneca, BP, HSBC Group, Standard Charted, Smith and Nephew, Smith’s Medical, Jaguar Land Rover, Swire Group, Diageo, RELX Group, PwC, EY, Deloitte, ReckittBenckiser, Unilever, IHG, BHP and JM Jardines.