India becomes 2nd largest producer of PPE suits

New Delhi, May 23: Converting the Corona threat into an opportunity, India has now achieved the status of being the second-largest producer of PPE kits required for doctors, health, and sanitation workers, and police personnel.

When the country suffered the COVID-19 attack, India had a shortage of PPE kits and had to import them from. But within the two months of short duration, India achieved the distinction of being the second producer of PPE kits. This was disclosed by the Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani.

An official statement from the Union Minister said that the government had procured such body coverall from 'certified players' in order to ensure the quality and quantity of the PPE kits.

Thus, India is now just behind China in the manufacturing PPE body coveralls which are essential for protecting frontline workers from contracting the Wuhan Coronavirus. Moreover, The Union Textile Ministry also informed that the Textiles Committee in Mumbai will now conduct the certification and testing of PPE body overalls.

On May 18, Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani had tweeted that the production of PPE bodysuits had crossed 4.5 lakhs per day. Additionally, there are 600 companies that have been certified to manufacture the bodysuits for the health workers.

According to the Secretary of Textiles Committee Ajit Chavan, India lacked reputed manufactures of PPE bodysuits at the time of the Coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China. Due to the delay in importing such crucial equipment from China, coupled with increasing prices, the Indian Government decided to procure these bodysuits indigenously.

“With the acquisition of this equipment and with a concrete plan to add some more equipment as per need, we will be able to address not only the quantitative but also the qualitative requirements involved in the testing of body coveralls worn by the frontline health workers and other COVID-19 warriors,” Ajit Chavan was quoted as saying.

Earlier, in a circular dated March 25, 2020, the Ministry of Textiles had set up an Emergency Control room for monitoring the manufacturing supply of N-95 masks, body overalls and melt-blown fabric that are required for protection from the Chinese virus. The circular also listed the names of field officers who were tasked to ensure the smooth supply of the equipment.