ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Science and Technology will hand over the first batch of eight to 10 locally-manufactured ventilators this week to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

“It is a matter of pride that now Pakistan is among countries that manufacture their own ventilators. It is particularly important because ventilators are complicated machines. Not a lot of countries have the capabilities to manufacture such complex machines,” said Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry.

Experts at the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) were given the task to manufacture ventilators and oxygenators after the coronavirus started spreading in the country. The first batch of ventilators is now ready, said the minister in a video message.

Designs for three more variants of ventilators are in the final stages of approval, and will soon come into production, he said, adding: “With the local manufacture of these ventilators, Pakistan will not only be ready to meet its requirements for these machines but will also be in a position to export these life-saving devices.”

He praised PEC, National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) and Pakistani engineers and scientists for what he called a significant achievement.

He recalled that immediately after the first cases of coronavirus were detected in Pakistan, Pakistan was importing life-saving equipment such as ventilators besides various brands of hand sanitisers and medical masks, which started falling short in supply in hospitals.

“In just a few months, not only is Pakistan manufacturing these devices but is also in a position to export them to assist other countries fight Covid-19,” Mr Chaudhry said.

The minister had already announced that worldwide demand for made-in-Pakistan corona protective gear such as face masks and personal protective equipment would also cross $500 million by the end of this year.

“Pakistan has already received $100 million export orders of PPE and it will increase to $500 million,” he had tweeted two weeks ago. His remarks came after a French newspaper had subcontracted Pakistani companies to meet the demand for face masks. These are the cloth masks, washable and usable 50 times, said the French newspaper,Oust France.

About 280,000 top quality masks have been distributed among some communities - two per person.

Mr Chaudhry said the face masks and PPE were ISO certified and compliant with World Trade Organisation (WTO) regulations.

In May, the minister had said Pakistan was already exporting cotton face masks to mostly European countries. He gave the example of a Faisalabad-based textile company that had orders for $8 million to $10 million worth of top quality cotton masks.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2020