Health Ministry to import face masks from Vietnam

The Ministry of Health plans to import face masks from neighbouring countries, including Vietnam, Thailand, and China, to overcomes shortages of the item in Laos.
“The first lot of two million face masks will be imported to Laos soon, of which 1.5 million will be for health workers. Their tasks put them at risk of infection from patients. Then masks will be provided to patients in hospitals to control the spread of their illnesses to others,” Minister of Health, Dr Bounkong Syhavong said.
“Another 500,000 face masks will be sold to the public,” he added.

An import agreement was concluded following a request from the Lao government to Vietnam, which had temporarily suspended the export of face masks as they are in high demand within the country. Vietnam agreed to export the masks to Laos because of the special relationship between the two countries.
“Within a few weeks, a company from the neighbouring country will set up a factory in Laos for producing face masks. When completed, it will produce up to 500,000 face masks per month,” he added.
Even though the imported face masks will not satisfy current demand, they will meet elementary needs. Face masks selling across Laos have increased by up to tenfold because of worries related to COVID-19 infections in neighbouring countries, even though no case has been reported in Laos.
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce issued a notification last month that stated the price of face masks must not exceed 25,000 kip for a box of 50 pieces, or 1,000 kip per piece for retail sales.
However, consumers have complained they cannot find masks at the notified prices. Masks sold on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram are going for 165,000 kip to 200,000 kip for a box of 50 pieces.
An official from the Goods and Price Management Division said representatives from the Food and Drugs Department under the Ministry Of Health and the Provincial Industry and Commerce Departments were regularly checking the prices of mask in pharmacies across the country.
“Those found selling the face masks over the notified prices are warned, but it is quite difficult to control the prices because we import all the face marks,” he said.
“Meanwhile, countries which export face masks to Laos are dealing with their own outbreaks of COVID-19 and demand for masks in those countries has increased,” he noted.
“About 250,000 face masks will be imported to our country in the next few weeks by a Lao company, but to sell such items at the notified prices, we have to give them incentives such as tax cuts and other measures,” he said.

By Souksamai Boulom
(Latest Update March 20, 2020)