Fact check: Is India short of PPE Coveralls due to quality control problem?

New Delhi, May 09: A video publisher, while citing a doctor said that India is short on PPE Coveralls because of a quality control problem.

However, the government has clarified that there are 8 approved laboratories accredited to the NABL to test prototype samples of the PPE Coveralls.

Eight laboratories have now been approved for testing of PPE Coveralls required for protection from COVID-19. These are - (i) South India Textiles Research Association (SITRA), Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu (ii) DRDO-INMAS, New Delhi, (iii) Heavy Vehicle Factory, Avadi, Chennai (iv) Small Arms Factory, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh (v) Ordnance Factory, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh (vi) Ordnance Factory, Muradnagar, Uttar Pradesh (vii) Ordnance Factory, Ambernath, Maharashtra (viii) Metal & Steel Factory, Ishapore, West Bengal. All these laboratories have been accredited by NABL.

The tests are conducted conforming with the technical requirements issued by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India on 2nd March 2020. On 6th April 2020 Ministry of Textiles further issued detailed procedure for issue of Unique Certification Code (UCC) for each passed prototype sample from the manufacturers of the PPE Coveralls.

These procedures have been further rationalised by the Ministry of Textiles on 22nd April 2020.

The Unique Certification Code (UCC) refers to each prototype sample submitted by the manufacturer and is required to be embossed on each manufactured Coverall along with the name of the manufacturer, date of manufacture and name of the client. This procedure has been fully implemented in respect of procurement by M/s HLL Lifecare Limited, which is the procurement agency for the hospitals and healthcare organisations under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.

The manufacturers are also required to submit an affidavit along with their submitted sample, stating details of their manufacturing unit, GSTIN number, company registration number, Udyog Aadhar number or DIC registration number and other relevant details.

They are also required to declare that they are textile manufacturers and not traders. The affidavit is to form a part of the UCC Certificate.