Maharashtra: Manufacturers Will Now Need Certification to Sell PPE

Those who manufacture and sell PPE must be certified by the state-run Haffkine Bio-Pharmaceutical Corporation.

As India grapples with the coronavirus crisis, one of the biggest challenges so far has been about being able to provide adequate protective equipment to frontline workers in this health crisis, such as doctors and nurses.

The demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) kits in the country is constantly on the rise, but the people making and selling PPE are facing problems in Maharashtra.

Now, the people who manufacture and sell it must be certified by the state-run Haffkine Bio-Pharmaceutical Corporation.

Manufacturers Raise Concerns

Now, manufacturers are having to wait for several days in order to receive the desired certification. They say that Haffkine has demanded several types of documents from them, which have added to their worries.

Kailas Sukre-Patil, a manufacturer and trader from Parbhani in Marathwada, says, “At such a time, the government should avoid such bureaucratic holdups for manufacturers and traders.”

There are many units to manufacture PPE at places like Kolhapur, Nagpur, Parbhani, but after this new rule, the traders say they aren’t sure how to proceed.

What is the Government’s Argument?

The government says that in view of the speed at which COVID-19 is spreading, the number of people selling PPE kits and N95 masks has increased in the state. In such situation, there are people who are manufacturing PPE kits and masks of a lower quality than they should be, thereby, potentially placing health workers at risk.

Therefore, only after Haffkine's sample checking and certification will the manufacturers be authorised to make sales.

Maharashtra has the highest number of coronavirus-infected people in the country. Additionally, there have been reports of shortage of PPE kits and N95 masks for nurses and other staff coming in from several hospitals in the state.

On the condition of anonymity, a manufacturer said that if the committee comprising the Collector and civil surgeon could have continued to be at the forefront at the local level, it would have been better - because the protective equipment made by the manufacturers was being sold only after being examined by these committees at the local level. The decision to mandate certification from Haffkine has increased their difficulties, said the manufacturer.