Facing flak for allowing exports of medical equipment and sanitisers when the country needed them the most to tackle the coronavirus outbreak, the Centre on Tuesday banned their exports with immediate effect. In addition, equipment used in intensive care units have also been brought under the purview of the export ban.
Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Tuesday said that at least 118 Government laboratories have been included in its network of coronavirus testing with a capacity to test 12,000 samples daily. The decision came on a day when two molecule diagnostic companies each in Punjab and Pune have developed indigenous testing kit, India’s first, which have been approved by the ICMR.
The export ban came a day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Narendra Modi Government of delaying its decision to ban the export of life-saving equipment like ventilators amid the coronavirus outbreak, suggesting a “criminal conspiracy”. “Respected Prime Minister, why did the Indian Government allow the export of all these things till March 19 contrary to WHO’s advice to keep sufficient stock of ventilators and surgical masks. Which forces encouraged these games? Isn’t this a criminal conspiracy,” Rahul asked in a tweet in Hindi.
Rahul Gandhi also tagged a news report which claimed that India did not stockpile coronavirus protective equipment for health workers despite WHO guidelines in this regard.
The Congress on Monday also demanded the dismissal of Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and the Ministry’s Secretary for “allowing the export of masks and ventilators” till March 19 despite WHO caution on the coronavirus outbreak much earlier. “Dear PM, should you not sack the Union Commerce Minister and the Commerce Secretary for permitting exports of ventilators, surgical masks, face masks, raw material for masks till March 19,” Congress chief spokesperson Surjewala said.
“Was this not playing with the health of doctors and paramedics staff and with coronavirus patients who need ventilators. How was their export allowed?” Surjewala said.
“This is criminal as our own doctors, nurses, patients are facing acute shortage of masks and other equipment, besides ventilators,” he said.
Rejecting the Congress charge, BJP leader Amit Malviya said, “The Government of India had banned the export of N95 masks, body overalls and 2-3 ply masks on 31 Jan itself, much before any WHO advisory. N95 respirators and body overalls being the most critical personal protective gear for COVID-19 haven’t been allowed to be exported since.”
As far as the indigenous kit is concerned, developed by the Pune-based Mylab Discovery Solutions it will cost Rs 80,000 and can test 100 patients. ICMR currently has 100,000 test kits and Mylabs says it can make another 100,000 just a week. The ICMR has, however, ordered 200,000 testing kits from Germany. “We can produce 1 to 1.5 lakh tests in a week, we are trying to increase our production for the public. These kits cost 1/4th the price that the imported kits are being sold for,” said Ranjit Desai, a scientist at the lab.
The ICMR said that a total 20,864 samples from 19,974 individuals have been tested for the viral infection so far. A total of 482 individuals have been confirmed positive among suspected cases and contacts.