#Corona: India orders 20 lakh Personal Protective Equipment from South Korea; Supply expected in 10 days; Read more

New Delhi, March 3I: India has ordered 20 lakh Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from a South Korean firm that has the capacity to produce 1 lakh PPE coveralls per day with supplies expected to commence in 10 days. "Orders have been placed to Singpore for 10 lakh PPE kits. India will get 3 lakh Personal protective equipment coveralls from abroad by 4th April. Currently, 3.34 lakh Personal protective equipment are available in the country", the Health Ministry confirmed.

 

 

Earlier the day, over 10 domestic manufacturers in India had been asked to produce PPE, designed to safeguard the health of medical professionals treating coronavirus patients. Components of PPE are goggles, face-shield, mask, gloves, coverall/gowns, with or without aprons, head cover and shoe cover, the statement read.

 

Joint Secretary of the Health Ministry Lav Agarwal said officials of the Ministry of Textiles held a series of meetings with the technical experts and the manufacturers in India. "WHO guidelines were understood and taking into account details of this virus, the PPE guidelines were suitably amended. Over 10 domestic manufacturers in India were identified for the purpose. They have started production also," he added.

 

 

Apart from this, the government has decided to import the Personal Protective Equipment from other countries."In collaboration with the External Affairs Ministry, we are starting the process of importing PPE from other countries," Agarwal noted.

 

Personal protective equipment is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, electrical, heat, chemicals, biohazards, and airborne particulate matter.