Notwithstanding initial apprehensions, the Himachal Pradesh health department has enough stocks of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits to meet COVID-19 requirements in the field.

Except for the first purchase of 6500 PPE kits done in March, 2020, which invited controversy in May month with the arrest of then Director Health allegedly over bribe, the department was provided all the protective stuff for COVID-19 either by the Government of India or through donations.

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The pharma companies apart, which donated hand sanitizers and medicine to the state government in COVID-19 crisis, the Tata Trusts provided PPE kits and other material to HP free of cost through its associate organisation, Himmotthan Society, twice.

The Society handed over 2720 PPE kits and 16000 surgical masks to the health department in May and 1000 medical goggles, 2500 hand gloves, 2480 medical protective clothing (sterile), 16000 surgical masks, 1250 shoe covers and 24000 K95 masks last week, said Amit Upmanyu, Senior Project Officer with Himmotthan Society at Palampur.

Based in Dehradun since 2007, Himmotthan Society has been working in central and western Himalayan states of Uttarakhand, Himachal and UT of Ladakh on developing livestock and agriculture based sustainable livelihoods, better education and access to safe water and sanitation.

Its Project Management Unit was established in Himachal (Palampur) in 2018.

“Initially there was some stress on the issue of protective equipment, given the magnitude of COVID-19 pandemic. But we never had any shortage of PPE kits and other material related to COVID-19 in Himachal as the GoI has been liberally providing us everything. The donations have also helped us keep our stocks in plenty for the COVID-19 crisis. We have been distributing the PPEs and other things in the field as per need,” said Ramesh Chand, Deputy Director and State Nodal Officer for COVID-19 Material Supplies in the Health department.

Dr Ramesh Chand said the Government of India had fulfilled all major requirements of the state government in COVID-19 pandemic, and had provided 500 ventilators to the state.