Covid-19: Assam becomes first state to import PPE kits directly from China

A cargo plane carrying 50,000 personal protective kits ( PPE) kits from Guangzhou landed in Guwahati late Wednesday

Updated on: Apr 15, 2020, 22:26:42 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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Assam on Wednesday became the first state in the country to directly import personal protective equipment (PPE) kits from China to beef up stock of the commodity needed to combat Covid-19.

Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at the Guwahati airport Wednesday evening to receive the consignment of PPEs from China. (https://twitter.com/himantabiswa)

A cargo plane carrying 50,000 PPE kits from Guangzhou in China landed at the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati on Wednesday evening after a five hour direct flight.

“Indian government as well as many countries across the world has been procuring PPE kits from China. We are the first state government to import the kits directly from China,” Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said after receiving the cargo at the airport.

“This has removed a big hurdle for us as we were buying PPE kits in small numbers are there was a worry about their continued availability. We will soon distribute these kits to our healthcare workers,” he added.

Prior to arrival of the PPE kits from China, Assam had a stock of nearly one lakh kits. The state government plans to keep an available stock of two lakh PPE kits and keep replenishing it as and when it gets depleted.

Assam has 32 positive cases Covid-19 as on Wednesday. While 29 are recovering in various hospitals, two have been discharged and one has died.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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