Arawat Mehraj
Srinagar, April 27 (KINS): A businessman from Sopore has been making masks and other protective gear for front-line health workers and common masses as Kashmir is facing a shortage of masks and personal protective equipment (PPE) in times of the pandemic.
Meet Mohammad Muzaffar Baba from Sopore, who is running a factory ‘Kashir Brand’, which is usually making readymade garments including sports uniforms.
But these days, he along with his six workers are busy in making masks and protective gear for health workers of Sopore hospital and other common masses.
“When pandemic started, I saw there was shortage of masks. We initially distributed masks free of cost but now selling at very low cost. We are not making any profit but making masks so people can protective themselves,” Baba told news agency KINS.
They are also making protective gear for healthcare workers and other people.
“We can’t compare them with personal protection equipment which doctors wear in various hospitals. But these protective gears (gowns and trousers) also protect one from the deadly virus. We sell them at very low cost without making any profit,” he said.
“Initially we were making gowns which were not affordable for common people as they were unusable. Now we make waterproof gowns which are washable. They can be worn during the day and washed in the evening with a disinfectant. People are wearing them so they are not exposed to virus,” he said.
Doctors have also been saying that cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.
He said there is a lot of demand of these waterproof gowns.
“We all know that there is a shortage of masks and PPEs in Kashmir. We are working hard to ensure people don’t face a shortage of masks and protective gear here. Everyone should come forward and help people in these difficult times,” he added.(KINS)
