Over 50,000 Chinese PPE kits fail quality test in India, domestic production ramped up

Amidst shortfall in availability of personal protection equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers in India, some kits donated by China had to be dumped after y failed quality tests.

Amid global rise in COVID-19 cases, China has emerged as leading supplier of PPE kits to support nations in tackling pandemic. However, country has supplied some poor quality kits to India that had to be dumped after y failed  quality test. Of 1.7 lakh kits that arrived in India on Apri 5, nearly 50,000 failed quality test. Apart from that, two small consignments with 30,000 and 10,000 PPE kits, too failed tests.

As per a report,  kits were tested at Defence Research & Development Organisation laboratory in Gwalior. government procures only CE/FDA certified PPE kits, and n-certified kits need to pass quality tests in India.  kits which arrived from China were rejected after failing quality test. 

To meet short of PPE, an additional order of 10 lakh kits has been placed with a Singaporean company. kits will, however, be sourced through China. suits are expected to arrive by first week of May.

READ | DRDO Shifts Testing Facility From Gwalior To Delhi To Ensure Swift Delivery Of PPEs

Domestic production increased

To meet increasing demand for protective gears with rise in COVID-19 cases, domestic production of PPE suits has been increased to 30,000 kits a day hitting target a week earlier than scheduled.  production is expected to touch 50,000 by end of April. So far, more than 150,000 suits have been manufactured and companies aim to produce 100,000 more by weekend.

Meanwhile, China has asked all countries to import faulty items manufactured in reputed Chinese firms and assured that government would take action against those involved in forgery.

READ | Ordnance Factory Board's Tamil Nadu Unit Gets Approval To Manufacture PPEs For Doctors

China supplies five lakh rapid testing kits to India

India has received much-awaited five lakh rapid COVID-19 testing kits from China and se are t meant for early diagsis of disease rar for monitoring wher coronavirus hotspots in India are increasing or showing a declining trend, government said on Thursday.

Addressing a daily briefing on COVID-19 situation in country, chief of Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases at ICMR Dr Raman R Gangakhedkar said serologic rapid testing kits have been provided by two Chinese companies.

"se kits will be used to check antibodies which body of a person prepares as a weapon to fight a virus. rapid antibody test kits procured are t meant for early diagsis, but only for surveillance and trend checking," he said.

READ | Flight Carrying PPEs From China Lands In Guwahati

READ | COVID-19: Railways To Produce 1.3 Lakh PPE Coveralls To Aid Healthcare Workers