50,000 medical suits as part of a shipment of medical supplies to Malta has been stolen in Turkey.

This highlights the global struggle in securing such essential shipments in the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, where high-demand products are stolen to be sold on the black market.

Besides various reports of stealing supplies, shipments made by states are often obstructed as producers cancel orders in favour of higher bidders.

To avoid such bidding wars, Malta has turned to negotiate orders directly with the Chinese government, Times of Malta reported. However, it is still uncertain if such supplies will ever make the journey.

A large shipment from Beijing has been secured and is set to arrive soon, sources told the Times, which should suffice medical needs for the time being. 

The supplier is directly endorsed by China, which comes in light of various reports questioning the quality of Chinese equipment amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, retail group Bortex has announced that their local production will focus on manufacturing protective gear for Malta’s medical staff, including masks and scrubs to support Malta’s hospitals and clinics in the fight against coronavirus.

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