Division of labor need of the hour

The Red Cross Society of China's branch in Wuhan, Hubei province, is allowing donors to send their donations directly to hospitals.

On Sunday, Jointown, a group facilitating medical work, took charge of the society's warehouse, receiving and distributing the donated materials. And it seems to be doing a good job. In fact, the work by the organization's Wuhan branch is a brilliant example of agencies working together with local groups. Each organization, official or otherwise, has its own strengths and the best work model is one that allows them to do what they are best at. This is particularly true when it comes to fighting an epidemic that is spreading on a scale of the novel coronavirus from Wuhan.

A charitable disposition, involving organization of events, persuasion and coordination, is not enough to ensure the needy receive help. Logistics, which involves transportation, storage and distribution of materials, is just as important. One cannot expect the latter to do the job of the former. And that is the main reason why even though many have donated emergency goods, the items have not reached the doctors.

Although society must have faced similar problems in the past, too, it is in greater focus now because of the scale of the epidemic. And the Red Cross Society of China's Wuhan branch has shown the way. The agency just needs to distribute some part of the work to professional non-official organizations. This way doctors can get what they urgently need to take care of their patients. It is to be hoped this example is emulated by more organizations to better fight the novel coronavirus.