Gov't approves epidemics medical emergency stocks

The government approved on Tuesday the establishment of emergency medical supplies for epidemics and measures regarding the establishment of quarantine under an emergency ordinance that also provides for the purchase of thermal scanners to equip Romania's 16 airports. "The establishment of emergency medical stocks for epidemics and other events generating multiple victims was approved. The purchase of medical emergency stock products will be made according to the legal provisions regarding public procurement, meaning that the government has designated under this ordinance the National Office for Centralised Procurement with the Ministry of Finance as an authorised body for organising and carrying out the award procedures for the conclusion of framework agreements," Interior Minister Marcel Vela said Tuesday after a government meeting. He added that under the same ordinance, the health minister is enabled to decide "the establishment of quarantine for persons entering Romania from affected areas as a measure for preventing and containing diseases in the case of epidemics, pandemics or emergencies declared by the World Health Organization (WHO)." "Over the next 45 days, under a joint order of the Interior Ministry and the Health Ministry, a nomenclature of the products of medical emergency stocks and the methodology of use, of release and of free use will be approved, at the same time with the replenishment of the supplies," said Vela. The minister also mentioned that the ordinance also provides for the purchase of thermal scanners to equip the airports in Bucharest and elsewhere in the country. "Five for the Henri Coanda Bucharest Airport and two for the other airports, one for domestic and one for the international flights," he said. AGERPRES (RO - author: Daniel Florea, editor: Antonia Nita; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)