India ramps up production of COVID-19 protective gears, medical equipment

India has ramped up production of COVID-19 protective gears and medical equipment giving a boost to its fight against the novel coronavirus and reducing it dependency on foreign countries for these items which are in high demand globally due to the pandemic.

The Centre on Friday said it has placed order for 2.22 crore personal protection equipment (PPE), of which around 1.43 crore will be procured from domestic manufacturers and the rest imported.

Addressing a press briefing on the COVID-19 situation in the country, P D Vaghela, the Secretary of the Department of Pharmaceuticals and Chairman of the Empowered Group-3, said that against the projected demand of two crore PPE, orders have been placed for more than 2.2 crore.

"Earlier, there was no domestic manufacturing of PPE in the country and almost all of them were imported. We now have 111 indigenous manufacturers," he said.

Vaghela said about 19,398 ventilators are available in India and orders have been placed for 60,884 more, and of these 59,884 will be made by domestic manufacturers.

The Ministry of Health has indicated a projected demand of 75,000 ventilators till June, 2020.

"Against the same, the present availability is about 19,398. Out of the total orders placed, 59,884 ventilators have been ordered to domestic manufacturers and imports are to the tune of 1,000 ventilators," he said.

He said of the total 2.49 crore N-95/N-99 masks to be procured, 1.49 crore have been ordered from domestic manufacturers and about one crore N- 95 masks are being imported.

On production of drugs and other medical equipment, he said, "HCQ (hydroxychloroquine) production has increased from 12.23 crore to 30 crore (tablets) per month."