In the wake of Covid-19 pandemic, BGMEA has come forward to provide PPE suits to healthcare personnel including doctors, nurses and hospital workers in Bangladesh.
Currently they are making at least 20,000 PPEs for donation, according to a press release.
"What we are making is a substitute of level-1 PPE. Corona patient treating doctors and staff need level 3/4. Our product is not certified. It is just 100% waterproof and the design is close to a professional PPE," the release added.
The apex apparel trade body also said their fabrication and garments were already approved from the Director General of Health Services (DGHS), who certified their PPEs as level-1 substitutes.
"Currently many of our members are donating fabrics. We are also planning to fund buying some fabrics. The fabric mills who are also our members are selling the fabric below cost in a sign of solidarity," it also said.
BGMEA also mentioned that PPE suits were not natively made by local garment producers, as the medical grade and World Health Organisation (WHO)-standard fabric had to be imported, mainly from China.
"Moreover, on the production side if we are to make PPE suits for medical use the factories have to be retooled with seam sealing machines along with some other specialized machinery. Sterile factory environment also has to be maintained and necessary certification and training need to be conducted."
They also mentioned that they were alternatively sourcing fabric from China which currently had a lead time of 15-20 days due to severe delays in air freight routes.
"As soon as we can get the certified fabric we will be switching to certified and imported fabrics for our PPE."
