To support the local manufacturers the government has decided to buy Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) for health professionals from the local market except for the N-95 masks.

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lieutenant General Muhammad Afzal stated this Wednesday, adding that from now onwards all the PPEs for safety against spread of the Covid-19 would preferably be procured from the local market.

This principle decision has been taken to support local businesses and manufacturing industry.

The NDMA chairman has directed the procurement committee that maximum procurement be made from local markets through local vendors, except where product of required quality and quantity was not available.

He was informed that all PPEs except for N-95 were now locally manufactured and available in Pakistani markets.

The NDMA chairman said that manufacturers who intended to produce N-95 would also be supported, and informed that the local production of N-95 masks up to 0.1 million would start by the end of April.

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

He said that only products that were not available in the local market according to required standards and quantities would be imported.