PPE shortage forces govt’s hand, allows purchase from pvt sellers
PRICE CAPPED Hospitals allowed to purchase kits that cost less than ₹1,087 per unit; chief minister says central supply awaited despite requests
NEWDELHI: To address a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) for doctors treating Covid-19 patients, the Delhi government has allowed hospitals to purchase necessary equipment from private manufacturers, provided each kit costs less than ₹1,087, the price set by HLL, a government company.
A PPE kit contains a full-body suit, masks, goggles, gloves, and shoe covers. It is necessary for front-line health staff and those treating patients to protect themselves, as the number of cases is rising.
On Saturday, the number of Covid-19 cases in the capital surged by 59, taking the total to 445, of which 301 cases have been traced to the Jamaat in Nizamuddin area that took place early March.
“The cabinet has approved the procurement of PPE kits by individual hospitals from local manufacturers or suppliers at market rate, provided the rates are less than or comparable to rates of HLL of ₹1,087 per kit,” the order read.
Until now, the hospitals were dependent on supply from the central procurement agency and their contracted manufacturers.
“Now, we do not have to depend on only the manufacturers we have contracts with, but can purchase PPE kits from anyone in a position to sell. It should cost less than the ones provided by HLL, but also be of good quality. This order increases the range of options for us. Several small manufacturers have come forward due to the shortage in the market. Their products are not always of good quality, but one or two out of five manufacturers can give us decent PPE kits,” an official of Lok Nayak Hospital, one of the five hospitals designated as a Covid-19 centre by the Delhi government, said.
The central procurement agency, which is responsible for buying medicines, consumables and equipment for Delhi government-run hospitals, already has a tender in place for 120,000 PPE kits, with three companies. “Due to the shortage in the market, they are not able to give bulk orders and are supplying up to 2,000 PPE kits a day right now, which is just about enough for our needs. But, we need more kits to prepare for a surge in numbers,” a senior Delhi government official said.
These kits are shared among the five designated hospitals and quarantine facilities across the city. At the hospital level, managements have also been purchasing the protective gear. “We get about 200 or 300 PPE kits from our local manufacturers that are shared with two other quarantine facilities in the area. This is enough for us at present, but more would be needed if the cases rise,” an official of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, which is among the five designated by the government, said.
The Delhi government has written to the centre, asking for more PPE kits, but is yet to receive a reply, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday.
“The government has asked for about 200,000 PPE kits from the centre to ensure adequate stock,” a senior official of the Delhi government said.
A senior official of the health ministry, on the condition of anonymity, said, “Orders for more PPEs have been placed and will be distributed among states on a priority basis.”
So far, at least eight doctors and five nurses — three of whom had worked with Covid-19 positive cases while the history of the index patient for the others remains unclear — in the city have contracted the infection. At Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, around 108 staff members, including doctors, nurses, paramedics and ward boys, have been placed in quarantine after coming in contact with two Covid-19 patients without PPE.
“The hospital received authorisation to treat Covid-19 patients on Friday, but we are still working on procuring PPEs. There is a shortage in the market and those who have it have driven up the prices. We cannot start treating patients without ensuring adequate protection for our staff,” an official of the hospital said.
The five-doctor committee advising the CM on Covid-19 preparedness has estimated that in Scenario 1, when hospitals start receiving 100 patients a day, the stock of PPE should be around 5,000 in each of the designated hospitals. However, as on April 2, the five hospitals, combined, had 3,261 kits, according to the Delhi government’s health bulletin.
“If 100 patients are admitted to a hospital, let’s say 20 of them would require ICU care. The hospital would need around 500 to 600 PPE kits in a day for that. If Delhi gets 100 cases a day for seven days, each hospital must have a stock of 5,000 PPE kits for that scenario. Right now, we are not getting 100 cases every day, so the hospitals can manage with the kits they have,” said Dr SK Sarin, head of the committee and director, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences.