COVID-19: Health Ministry asks automobile makers to manufacture ventilators

As the country steps up efforts to combat COVID-19, automobile makers have been asked to manufacture ventilators and they are working towards it, the Health Ministry informed on Monday.

According to a tweet by the ministry, Bharat Electronics Ltd. has been asked to manufacture 30,000 ventilators in the next two months in collaboration with local manufacturers.

In a series of tweets, the ministry gave information about the government's steps to augment the supply of ventilators, masks and PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment).

"Agva Healthcare, Noida has been given an order to manufacture 10,000 #ventilators within a month. Their supplies are expected to commence in the 2nd week of April," read another post on Twitter.

"Over 14,000 existing #ventilators earmarked for #Covid_19 patients in various hospitals in the country," the ministry added.

Another post on the micro-blogging website informed that 3.34 lakh Personal Protective Equipments (PPE) coveralls are available with hospitals in the country and another three lakh donated coveralls are being received from abroad by April 4.

"11 domestic producers of PPE coveralls have qualified so far and orders for 21 lakh have been placed on them. They are supplying 6-7,000 pieces per day and are expected to go up to 15,000 per day by mid-April," the Health Ministry tweeted.

".....One more domestic manufacturer has qualified today and is being given orders for 5 lakh #PPE coveralls," it added.

Orders for 10 lakh PPE kits have been placed through Ministry of External Affair on a Singapore-based platform and supplies are to commence soon, while orders for 20 lakh PPE coveralls have been placed on a South Korea firm which has a capacity to produce one lakh coveralls per day. Supplies are expected to commence in 10 days.

"10,000 #PPE coveralls donated by Red Cross have been received and are being distributed today," Health Ministry tweeted.

In another tweet, the Ministry announced that two domestic manufacturers are producing 50,000 N95 masks per day. This is expected to go up to one lakh per day within next week.

"Hospitals in the country have 11.95 lakh #N95masks in stock. Additional 5 lakhs were distributed during the last two days and 1.40 lakhs are being distributed today," read another tweet.

"DRDO will begin manufacturing 20,000 #N99 masks per day within the next week," it added.

As on Monday, the country has 942 active cases of coronavirus, 99 recoveries and 29 deaths.