Many businesses in China were forced to suspend operations due to the coronavirus outbreak, some companies producing supplies critical to containing the virus have resumed production in order to meet rising demand. Liu Xinqing visited one pharmaceutical company in Wuhan for more.
Working nonstop. Humanwell PuraCap Pharmaceuticals is one of the few enterprises that are still operating in Wuhan during the coronavirus outbreak. They are hoping to meet rising demand for medical supplies throughout China and the rest of the world.
SIMON AN Vice President Humanwell Puracap Pharmaceuticals (Wuhan) Co., Ltd. "The market demand for our products both inside and out of China surged over the past two months. On February 26th, we obtained the approval for resuming production after putting an emergency plan in place."
Although the spread of the coronavirus has shown signs of easing in China in recent weeks and the number of new cases in Wuhan has dropped to single digit for the first time since the outbreak, prevention is still an important priority. So getting employees to return to the production line isn't an easy decision to make.
SIMON AN Vice President Humanwell Puracap Pharmaceuticals (Wuhan) Co., Ltd. "We need to strike a balance between ensuring employee safety and meeting market demand. So we have resumed production partially while making sure everything is under control."
Since the lockdown of Wuhan about seven weeks ago, most businesses in Wuhan are still suspended as most residents have been advised to stay home. With the city still in a state of emergency, many restrictions and challenges have to be tackled and overcome before production can resume.
SIMON AN Vice President Humanwell Puracap Pharmaceuticals (Wuhan) Co., Ltd. "The supply of raw materials and spare parts of our equipment is disrupted because logistics are restricted and our suppliers haven't fully resumed operation. Besides, some of our employees are stranded in their hometowns because traffic between Wuhan and other cities are sealed off."
Apart from resuming production, Humanwell also took advantage of its warehousing and logistics network to manage and deliver medical supplies throughout Hubei province.
Answering the call to offer help during difficult times, according to Mr. An, is the responsibility of any company. He said he and his company are proud to have played a role in curbing the global health epidemic.
Liu Xinqing, CGTN, Wuhan.