Health Ministry refutes low quality PPE charges

New Delhi : The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday said that it is ensuring quality of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) by stringent protocol.

The response came as the ministry was reportedly alleged about the quality of the PPE coveralls.

It said that the product under reference had no relevance to the procurement being made by the Central Government.

"HLL Lifecare Limited (HLL), the procuring agency of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, is procuring PPE coveralls from manufacturers or suppliers only after getting them tested and approved by one of the eight labs nominated by the Ministry of Textiles (MoT).

It is only after their products qualify in the test prescribed by the technical committee (JMG) of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, that they are procured," said the Health Ministry.

The ministry said the procuring agency HLL is also undertaking random sampling of the supplies being made, for which a testing protocol has been devised, failing to which the is being disqualified for any supplies.

The ministry has asked states also to procure the PPE only after following the prescribed testing for PPEs from MoT nominated labs.

The Health Ministry said the manufacturers got their products qualified from these labs are also being on-boarded on Government e-Marketplace (GeM).