Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) plans to transport medical supplies through the China-DPRK border into North Korea, the organization’s spokesperson told NK News on Friday, with the first shipment arriving in Beijing yesterday.

MSF, also known as Doctors without Borders, was granted an exemption from international sanctions to send equipment needed for the diagnosis and management of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) to North Korea in mid-February.

Asked if MSF will be using a route through China, the spokesperson said that “the first cargo arrived to Beijing, China” on Thursday, explaining that the cargo included “medical materials such as masks, gloves, goggles, gowns, and hand hygiene products.”

“Following the approval of the exemption to the United Nations sanctions on DPRK on February 20, MSF began preparing its shipment of medical supplies to DPRK,” they explained.

“The next few boxes are expected to arrive in China in the coming days. From there the supplies will be transported to the border and into DPRK.”

The organization did not comment on the estimated time of arrival of the exempted items.

With the recent lifting of quarantine measures on foreigners and diplomats in North Korea, there are expectations that international organizations and NGO workers may finally be able to send anti-viral equipment — and personnel — into North Korea.

MSF explained to NK News that none of the organization’s staff were in the DPRK during the quarantine, adding that there are currently no plans to send personnel into North Korea.

“MSF is in regular discussions with DPRK authorities about the feasibility of sending in an MSF team to support local health professionals in the COVID-19 response,” the spokesperson said. “However, there are no current plans to deploy a team.”

Asked what North Korea needs the most in its efforts to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, MSF pointed out that the country lacks medical supplies and up-to-date diagnostic equipment.

“In general terms, the health system is well organized, with numerous and competent medical staff,” said the MSF spokesperson. “However, disease outbreaks place a significant strain on any health system.”

“The DPRK also has an overall lack of medical supplies and the latest diagnostic equipment, which is why MSF has decided to provide assistance through the donation of essential medical items.”

The organization said that they are “coordinating with UN agencies to ensure that the COVID-19 response meets the needs within DPRK.”

The UN’s 1718 sanctions committee on February 20 permitted MSF to provide North Korea’s health ministry with “essential Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and diagnostic items.”

The organization was exempted from international sanctions to send goggles, stethoscopes, swabs, and medical examination equipment worth more than a total of €13,700 ($14,891.42) to “enable prompt and proper diagnosis and management of cases of COVID-2019 should these arise and develop in the country.”

North Korea’s party daily the Rodong Sinmun, however, claimed on Wednesday that “our-style protective medical clothing, gloves, overshoes and medical respirator for the prevention of epidemics are being mass-produced” in the country.

Although North Korea this week continued to assert that the country does not have any confirmed cases of the coronavirus inside their borders, the reliability of such claims — and the government’s capacity to prevent and diagnose the disease — remains unknown.

Along with MSF, other NGOs and international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) have also won sanctions exemptions in the past few weeks, in a move to aid North Korea in their coronavirus prevention efforts.

Edited by James Fretwell