NDMA to procure anti-corona protective gear from local market: chairman

ISLAMABAD: National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal on Wednesday announced that from now onward the entire personal protection equipment (PPEs) for safety against the spread of the Covid-19 would preferably be procured from the local market.

“The decision has been taken to support local businesses and the manufacturing industry,” Afzal said and directed the procurement committee to do maximum purchase from local markets through local vendors except where product of required quality and quantity is not available.

The NDMA chairman was informed that except N-95 the PPEs was now locally manufactured and available in Pakistani markets.

Afzal said the manufacturers who intended to produce N-95 would also be supported and informed that local production of N-95 masks up to Rs100,000 would start by the end of ongoing month.

He, however, made it clear to supply the PPEs especially to doctors and paramedical staff for their safety against infectious virus was of acute importance, therefore, quality and quantity of PPEs would not be compromised at any cost.

Only products not available in local market according to required standards and quantities would be imported, the NDMA chairman maintained.

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