Domestic Production Of PPE Kits Rises From Zero To Around 2 Lakh Units Per Day In Two Months

India, which was not manufacturing even a single personal protective equipment (PPE) kit domestically earlier, has now achieved a daily production capacity of more than two lakh units within two months, reports Times of India.

The nation recorded the highest single-day production of 2.06 lakh PPE kits on 2 May. The PPE kit includes a mask, eye shield, shoe cover, gown and gloves to be used by doctors and other frontline healthcare professionals who are engaged in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

At an average, India is presently manufacturing around 1.5 lakh PPE kits a day. The production of such a large number of kits is a major boost for the government’s Make in India program as earlier there was no domestic manufacturing of the kits in India.

According to the report, in January, all the 2.75 lakh PPE kits available in the country were imported.

The stellar surge in domestic production of PPE kits comes as the Government had identified at least 110 domestic manufacturers, of which 52 have already begun production.

It should also be noted that as of now, the government has distributed about 21.32 lakh PPE kits to the Centre and State-run hospitals, while at least 15.96 lakh additional kits are available for further disbursement in the Centre-State buffer stock.