PIA brings home much-needed medical supplies including 50 ventilators, PPEs, masks to Islamabad from China
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is now also using passenger Boeing 777 along with cargo flights to get home essential medical supplies as the coronavirus cases reach the 5000 mark in Pakistan.
The special PIA 777 plane, carrying nearly 50 tons of equipment, brought home 50 ventilators as well as medical masks, and unwoven cloth for coveralls, known as personal protective equipment (PPE) reached Islamabad Airport on April 10, according to National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
The medical supplies arrived from Chengdu (China) and the ventilators were donated by China.
Pakistan’s ambassador to China, Naghmana Hashmi, shared the news on Twitter. Pakistan embassy in Beijing is doing everything possible to help out NDMA distribute much-needed medical supplies to health workers, she said.
“Due to lack of cargo aircraft, PIA operated a passenger plane to bring back 52 tons using both belly and cabin spaces using proper care” PIA posted on its Facebook page. “PIA being Pakistan’s own airline will always report to duty whenever the nation needs us”.
Meanwhile, PIA flight PK895 brought home 200 Pakistanis stranded due to COVID19 to Islamabad from Malaysia. Pakistan government has so far facilitated the return of early 1800 Pakistani expats but nearly 40,000 are still waiting to come back home.
By April 11, Pakistan’s NDMA has distributed:
- Surgical masks – 1.7 million
- N95 masks – 75,000
- PPEs – 73K
- Face shields – 10K
- Gloves – 650K
- Surgical caps – 137K