On Thursday, the Union Textile Ministry said in an official statement that India had become the second-largest producer of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) body suits within 2 months. It further informed that the Government had procured such body coverall from ‘certified players’ in order to ensure the maintenance of both quality and quantity.
Thus, India is now only behind China in the manufacture of PPE body overalls 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 body suits had crossed 4.5 lacs per day. Additionally, there are 600 companies that have been certified to manufacture the bodysuits for the health workers.
PPE Update as on 18 th May — today we have crossed per day production of 4.5 lac PPE suits .. India now has over 600 companies who are lab certified to manufacture PPE 🙏
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) May 18, 2020
No indigenous production of PPE body suits initially
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.
