Automobile manufacturers asked to make ventilators: Health ministry

The central government has asked automobile manufacturers to use their facilities to produce ventilators to boost the country's capacity of such machines in view of rising COVID-19 cases.

The Health ministry said that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will begin manufacturing 20,000 N-95 masks per day within the next week.

The ministry informed that over 14,000 existing ventilators are earmarked for COVID-19 patients in various hospitals in the country while there are 11.95 lakh N-95 masks in stock.

Additional 5 lakh masks were distributed during the last two days and 1.40 lakh were distributed on Monday.

"Automobile manufacturers have been asked to manufacture ventilators and they are working towards this end," the health ministry said in a tweet.

Besides, the Ministry of health has already asked the Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Defence, to manufacture 30,000 ventilators in the next two months in collaboration with local manufacturers, the ministry said.

Agva Healthcare, Noida has also been given an order to manufacture 10,000 ventilators within a month. Their supplies are expected to commence in the 2nd week of April, the ministry said in another tweet.

Two domestic manufacturers are producing 50,000 N-95 masks per day. This is expected to go up to 1 lakh per day within next week, the ministry tweeted.

It further said that 10,000 personal protection equipment donated by Red Cross have been received and are being distributed on Monday.

The number of COVID-19 cases climbed to 1071 across the country, while the death toll rose to 29, according to the Union Health Ministry.