Masks: Govt calls for proposals
The government has invited proposal applications from Indian companies and enterprises to address protection and homebased respiratory intervention for Covid-19 patients.
The proposal may include technologically innovative solutions like low-cost masks, cost-effective scanning devices, technologies for sanitisation of large areas as well as for contactless entry, rapid diagnostic kits, oxygenators and ventilators.
“In the last few decades, various viral diseases have spread across continents and caused massive fatalities. The latest in the list is the covid-19 pandemic, which has put the healthcare system of various countries out of gear. Protection of the general population needs efficient clinical masks and sanitisers, suitable devices for screening and detection, home-based ventilator systems to complement healthcare facilities and other products and technologies to monitor and control the spread of diseases,” the technology development board (TDB), a statutory body under the department of science and technology, said.
The areas in which the technologically innovative solutions are invited include low-cost masks which can capture viruses from the air and absorb respiratory droplets, costeffective thermal scanning, large area sanitisation and sterilisation (including electrostatic spray and ultra violet treatment for various available surfaces like glass, ceramic, wood, textile, etc.), bioinformatics and surveillance, rapid and accurate diagnosis kits (paper-based and other point of care devices), AI and IoT-based solutions for contactless entry, oxygenators and ventilators (low cost and portable).
Meanwhile, Some inmates of Burail Model Jail here are making nearly 700-800 face masks daily due to a surge in their demand in the wake of
Covid-19 outbreak, an official said on Sunday.
Under ‘Making of Mask’ project, two teams, with 15 inmates each, have been constituted, said Neena Chaudhary, Senior Medical Officer, Burail Model jail.
She said, each day 700800 masks are being made for general preventive measures and they are fully sterilised.
Chaudhary said the masks are priced at `10 each and will initially be supplied to the government offices where there is public dealing.