MP: Health officials develop PPE kit with help of prisoners

Betul, Apr 6 () Amid the shortage of safety gearfor medical staff in the fight against coronavirus, MadhyaPradesh health officials with the help of some prisoners havecome up with a low-cost personal protective equipment kit.

State health commissioner Faiz Ahmed Kidwai has alsocalled for rational use of PPE kits, which the health careworkers and those deployed at quarantine centres, hospitalsand laboratories need the most at this crucial time.

In view of the growing demand for safety gear by thosetreating coronavirus patients, the health officials in Betulhave prepared their own personal protective equipment (PPE)with the help of prisoners of the district jail.

"We have developed our own PPE kit, which includes arobe stitched by prisoners lodged at the district jail. Theraw material required for this locally made kit was procuredfrom the neighbouring Chhindwara district with the help offunds provided by the local MP," Betul's Chief Medical andHealth Officer Dr G C Chourasia said.

The prisoners earlier prepared masks which have beenprovided to the local health workers, he said.

Betul district hospital's medical officer Dr AnkitaSeete said. the prisoners have so far provided 30 protectiverobes to the health team.

As part of the PPE kit, the health officials have alsomade a 'face shield' out of plastic which can be used alongwith the robes.

Betu's Shahpur block medical officer Dr ShailendraSahu said he has prepared the face shield with locallyavailable material, after seeing some foreign videos of thesafety gear.

"After finding that such a face shield was notavailable online or in the local market, we prepared it withthe plastic sheets used in the packing of sarees, hair bands,tapes and adhesives. This is also included in the PPE kitbeing given to the health staff of the district," Sahu said.

The robe in the PPE kit costs around Rs 150 andensures the safety of health workers, said Yogesh Pandagre,the MLA from Amla assembly seat of the district, who is also adoctor and has helped in preparing the kit.

"The quality of this protective robe is at par withthe product of any big company, he claimed.

Meanwhile, health commissioner Kidwai directed themedical staff across the state for judicious use of PPE.

In a directive issued on Saturday, he said there islimited availability of PPE kits and N95 masks, so thesesafety gears should be used rationally during the battleagainst coronavirus.

Kidwai also directed the health staff to adopt othersafety measures like washing hands frequently and maintainingdistance from each other along with the use of PPE.

The state health department currently has about 18,911PPE kits, 72,304 N95 masks and 1.76 lakh three-layered masks,an official said. COR ADU MASGK GK