India procuring PPEs and ventilators on war footing

To fight with the deadly coronavius, India initiated a multipronged approach to overcome the shortage of Personnel Protective Equipment (PPEs), masks, ventilators, and other medical equipment. Experts said that the initiative being adopted by Health Ministry was taken keeping in mind any possible community outbreak of this infectious disease.

New Delhi: Being aware of the shortage of Personnel Protective Equipment (PPEs), masks, ventilators, and other medical equipment while fighting against the Covid-19 pandemic, India has, of late, initiated a multipronged approach to procure such materials on urgent basis.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has also asked the country's automobile manufacturers to manufacture ventilators. Experts said that the initiative being adopted by Health Ministry was taken keeping in mind any possible community outbreak of this infectious disease (Covid19).

"In case of a community outbreak, we will require a huge number of PPEs, ventilators, and masks...though we are still in stage 2 of Covid19," said Dr. Giridhar Gyani, director general of Association of Health Provider-India to ETV Bharat.

Hospitals across India have over 14,000 existing ventilators for Covid 19 patients. Health Ministry officials said that Bharat Electronics Limited has been asked to manufacture 30,000 ventilators in the next two months in collaboration with local manufacturers. Private companies have also been roped in by the Health Ministry in this time of emergency. Agva Healthcare, Noida has been given an order to manufacture 10,000 ventilators within a month. "Their supplies are expected to commence in the second week of April," officials said.

Interestingly, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has also started manufacturing 20,000 N95 masks. "We are expecting 20,000 masks from DRDO every day starting next week," said officials. Hospitals in the country have 11.95 lakh N95 masks in stock. "Additional 5 lakhs were distributed during the last two days and 1.40 lakhs are being distributed today," said officials.

Officials said that two more domestic manufacturers are producing 50,000 N95 masks per day. This is expected to go up to 1 lakh per day within next week.

The Health Ministry has also received 10,000 PPEs from Red Cross that are being distributed today. The government has also ordered for PPEs from abroad. "One domestic manufacturer has been qualified today and is being given order for 5 lakh PPEs," officials said.

This in addition to 11 domestic producers who were earlier qualified for producing PPEs. They have been given the order to produce 21 lakh PPEs. "They are supplying 6-7,000 pieces per day and are expected to go up to 15,000 per day by mid-April," officials said. It may be mentioned here that 3.34 lakh PPEs are available with hospitals across the country. "Orders for 20 lakh PPEs have been places to a South Korean firm, which has a capacity to produce 1 lakh per day. We are expecting supplies in the next 10 days," officials said.

In addition, order for 10 lakh PPEs have been placed to a Singapore based company. "Supply is to commence soon," officials said. According to an estimate India needs at least 38 million masks and 6.2 million pieces of PPEs at a time when the country is fighting against Covid 19.