Ordnance Factory Board's Tamil Nadu unit gets approval to manufacture PPEs for doctors

As the battle against the deadly Coronavirus Pandemic is becoming more intense by the hour with the frontline workers, such as doctors facing maximum risks of contracting the infection, the Ordnance Factory Board's Tamil Nadu unit has secured approval for manufacturing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required by the health professionals for protection from COVID-19.

The Small Heavy Vehicle Factory (HVF), Avadi, in Tamil Nadu, has been granted accreditation by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration (NABL) for manufacturing coveralls.

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"We have succeeded in producing coveralls. We are basically meant to produce the garments for the armed forces but with the COVID-19 challenge that the country is facing, we have taken up this challenge under the guidance of Ordnance Factory Board," said Surjit Das, the General Manager of Ordnance Clothing Factory of Avadi.

Elaborating on how the employees managed to come to the factory despite the ban on public transportation and are working round the clock to do their bit in this battle against the disease, he said, "We have succeeded in manufacturing the first batch. All our employees who are staying in different parts of Chennai, all of them have come to the factory despite the absence of public transport."

"The coveralls require a specialised way of stitching and sealing to ensure that the user doesn't get infected. And they have given their best to learn to stitch a new garment and adopt it in minimum time," Das further added.

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The PPEs have become a crucial armour for doctors while treating COVID-19 patients and the absence of PPEs or lack of it clearly exposes the doctors and the medical fraternity attending the patients to maximum risk. There are reports of numerous doctors across the country getting infected by the virus while serving on the line of duty.

Earlier on Tuesday, An army doctor posted in Delhi tested positive for COVID-19, official sources said. Following this, the place where he worked was sanitised, and contract tracing has begun. Also, two women doctors at the Centre-run RML hospital tested positive for COVID-19, officials said on Tuesday. Recently, as many as eight doctors were affected by the virus in Tamil Nadu.

(With inputs from ANI)