The Ranchi district administration has come up with an innovative idea to fight against COVID-19. Ranchi administration has presented a cost effective protective gear and protective face masks for the frontline workers regarding their safety which are manufactured in the district.
The district administration is currently producing two types of protective gear-- one made of 90GSM tarpaulin plastic which is reusable after a wash and the other made of 50GSM LDPE, which can be disposed after single use. Currently being manufactured in the district textiles factories like Arvind Mills, Orient Crafts and Asha Enterprises and the production is currently at 100 units per day, which will be scaled up in the coming days.
The extremely cost effective Tarapaulin protective gear kit can be dipped in hypo-chlorite solution for the standard half hour auto clave and these kits are now being utilized by frontline health workers going in for contact testing several times.
The manufacturing cost involved in each such kit is merely Rs 300, which is one of the cost effective solution in times of the COVID-19 outbreak. Also, 50 kits have been sent to district administration in east Singhbhum and Pakur, thus solving to a great extent a crisis of PPE equipment that has risen due to lack of quality and cost effective products immediately. The LDPE variant is priced at Rs 150 and is disposable in nature.
The Ranchi district administration has also developed a face sheet or visor, which covers the face above a mask as an additional protection layer; available in the markets at Rs 50/ piece for less than Rs 5/ unit which is also reusable after sterilisation. This is made by Sakhi Mandals if the district these will be sold at Rs 7/unit with Rs 2 going towards the rural women involved in its manufactures. At a time when frontline workers stepping out in quarantine or isolation zones are at an all time high risk with lack of proper PPE, these solutions, tailor made for the pandemic is showing the way forward.
Meanwhile in other develpment Ranchi DC Rai Mahimapat Ray and SSP Anish Gupta visited nearby Tamar area of district and assessed the facilities at Mukhyamantri Daal Bhaat kendras. The two senior officers tested food at Didi kitchen.
An elderly woman told the officers that the food is good. The two officers in Tamar also visited the quarantine centre assessing the necessary facilities such as beds, kits and other arrangements. The two officers also gave necessary directives and guidelines in making personnel hygiene and cleanness.