Last week we heard of shortages in the supply of safety gear for health workers in India.
Yes, these scary-looking hazmat suits that medical workers need to save lives – of others and their own.
My colleague @Aarefa Johari began to investigate this.
(Picture credit: Reuters)
Yes, these scary-looking hazmat suits that medical workers need to save lives – of others and their own.
My colleague @Aarefa Johari began to investigate this.
(Picture credit: Reuters)
We stumbled on the reasons for it.
So did TOI's excellent @RemaNagarajan
Rema broke the story in TOI yesterday morning. Read the story here.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Healthca…
So did TOI's excellent @RemaNagarajan
Rema broke the story in TOI yesterday morning. Read the story here.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Healthca…
Rema reported how firms that make safety gear were repeatedly asking – begging – the government to set standards so that they could begin production of Covid-19 protection suits.
See her Twitter thread here.
See her Twitter thread here.
What happened after Rema's story came out is stunning.
As @AarefaJohari meticulously reports, some firms got orders on emails, a mysterious tender document surfaced.
Someone in the government panicked. Finally.
scroll.in/article/956866…
As @AarefaJohari meticulously reports, some firms got orders on emails, a mysterious tender document surfaced.
Someone in the government panicked. Finally.
scroll.in/article/956866…
“It is clear now what their malintentions were – they only wanted the tender to be circulated among a few manufacturers,” the owner of one firm alleged.
Pause and let that sink in.
Pause and let that sink in.
Now 14 firms have orders to deliver safety gear.
But they're confused: should they respond to the mails or submit bids for the tender?
“If HLL has already placed orders, then why is there a tender? And if there has been a tender all this while, why have orders been placed?”
But they're confused: should they respond to the mails or submit bids for the tender?
“If HLL has already placed orders, then why is there a tender? And if there has been a tender all this while, why have orders been placed?”
Great that the government responded to media whistle-blowing.
But do you know how much time it would take for each of these firms to deliver?
Read the story to find out.
scroll.in/article/956866…
But do you know how much time it would take for each of these firms to deliver?
Read the story to find out.
scroll.in/article/956866…
Panic more. Ask more questions.
END
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Now more than ever.
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