India to buy poor quality masks, ventilators from china

New Delhi: India will buy ventilators and masks from China to help it deal with the coronavirus, a government official said, even though some countries in Europe had complained about the quality of the equipment.

The Netherlands has recalled thousands of masks imported from China because of quality issues, while Spain has complained about defective imported test kits supplied by a Chinese manufacturer, media have reported.

Also, a mass of evidence points to how crucial delays by the government in placing orders for safety wear may have exacerbated the shortage in India, potentially placing at risk thousands of healthcare professionals.

Doctors from Siliguri in the east to Kashmir in the far north of India at the frontline of the fight against COVID-19 have complained, even threatened to go on strike because of the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) - specialised coveralls, gloves, goggles, masks and so on.

The complaints are not unique to India.

Countries battling the coronavirus are facing an acute shortage of safety wear, making advance planning a critical requirement.

India has recorded over 1,600 cases of the coronavirus, with 45 deaths, but health experts say the country of 1.3 billion people could see a major surge in cases that could overwhelm its weak public health system.

But Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) an influential Hindu group close to Modi's party, said India should look at domestic alternatives because of widespread concern over the quality of China's equipment.

"I don't think we need Chinese support of any kind for our healthcare ... Even if Indian firms produce at a higher cost, it doesn't matter," Ashwani Mahajan, a national co-convenor of the SJM, told Reuters.