Govt ropes in domestic, global players for ventilators, masks, PPE
With coronavirus cases surging by each passing day, the Government has roped in domestic and global manufacturers to manufacture ventilators, masks and personal protective equipment (PPE) among other essential medical items needed to combat the viral infection.
Bharat Electronics Ltd has been asked to manufacture 30,000 ventilators in the next two months in collaboration with local manufacturers. Automobile giants like Maruti, too, will be making ventilators which are in high demand to provide supporting aid to Covid-19 patients. Similarly, Agva Healthcare, Noida, has been given an order to manufacture 10,000 ventilators within a month, and DRDO will begin manufacturing 20,000 N-99 masks per day within the next week.
Till now PPE, which are used by medical personnel working in isolation areas and intensive care units to protect them from acquiring infections, were not being manufactured in the country. However, now focus is on Made in India as well in the wake of global shortage.
Sharing details with the reporters at a routine presser, Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary in the Union Health Ministry, said that the Textile Ministry along with the Health Ministry are working in tandem to achieve this goal. As a result, eleven domestic producers of PPE coveralls have qualified so far and orders for 21 lakh have been placed on them.
“Currently they are supplying 6-7,000 kits per day and this is expected to go up to 15,000 per day within the next week. One more manufacturer has qualified on Monday, and an order of 5 lakh coveralls has been placed with him,” said Agarwal.
Similarly, he said, to ensure that sufficient medical items are available whenever required, orders for 10 lakh PPE kits have been placed through the Ministry of External Affairs with a Singapore-based platform and supplies are to commence soon. While another supplier based in Korea, which has tie- up with production companies in Vietnam and Turkey has been identified with daily production capacity of over 1 lakh PPE kits.
Also, he said, 10,000 PPE coveralls donated by Red Cross have been received and are being distributed. As of now, 3.34 lakh PPE are available in various hospitals across the country. About 60,000 PPE kits have already been procured and supplied by the Government while Indian Red Cross Society has arranged 10,000 PPE from China which have also been received and are being distributed. Another 3 lakh donated PPE coveralls are to arrive by April 4. An order for 3 lakh PPE has been placed with ordinance factories, said the official.
Regarding availability of ventilators, Agarwal said, PSU BEL has been asked to manufacture 30,000 ventilators in the next two months in collaboration with local manufacturers.
Noida-based Agva Healthcare has been given an order to manufacture 10,000 ventilators within a month. Similarly, automobile manufacturers too have been asked to manufacture ventilators.
Ventilators are required for patients of COVID19 as they tend to develop acute respiratory disease syndrome. Presently, less than 20 covid-19 patients are on ventilator support at this moment. Over 14,000 ventilators have been identified in various hospitals across the country for treatment of Covid-19 patients while orders have been placed on international companies like Hamilton, Mindray and Draeger besides a few domestic firms and a PSU to supply ventilators, said Agarwal.
Giving details on the availability of masks, the official said that DRDO will begin manufacturing 20,000 N-99 masks per day within the next week.
"Two domestic manufacturers are producing 50,000 N95 masks per day and are ramping up capacities to go up to 1 lakh per day within next week. Presently hospitals in India have 11.95 lakh N95 masks in stock while additional five lakhs were distributed during last two days and 1.40 lakhs being distributed on Monday.
"Ten lakh masks would be part of the PPE kits being sourced from Singapore," Agarwal added.
The official also shared that all drug companies have assured that there will not be any shortage of drugs during this crisis while medical personnel are being trained for any emergencies.