Meru County eyes mass production of masks

Tailors sew masks at Mukiria Technical Training Institute on April 21, 2020. The Institute has partnered with locals to make reusable fabric masks. PHOTO | DAVID MUCHUI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Meru Deputy Governor Titus Ntuchiu said they expect Kebs and PPB officers to inspect samples of locally made masks this week.
  • Once the devolved unit gets the greenlight, the masks will be made by local polytechnics for distribution to vulnerable residents.

The Meru County Government is seeking approval from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) and the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) in order to produce face masks for residents in a bid to combat Covid-19.

Meru Deputy Governor Titus Ntuchiu said they expect Kebs and PPB officers to inspect samples of locally made masks this week.

Once the devolved unit gets the greenlight, the masks will be made by local polytechnics for distribution to vulnerable residents.

In the meantime, the county says it has contracted local tailoring firms to produce about 25,000 reusable masks that will be distributed across the county.

Last week, Senator Mithika Linturi also engaged various tailors in Meru town to make masks for distribution to locals.

“We want to ensure the masks that will be produced by the county government are safe and up to standard. This will go a long way in ensuring the vulnerable residents are safe as they go about their business,” Mr Ntuchiu said.

He said the county has also ordered masks worth Sh1 million from Kitui County Textiles as well as surgical masks from Kemsa for use by health workers.

The deputy governor attributed the shortage of masks and lack of PPEs in the county to delays in procuring them from the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (Kemsa).

“Our health workers are using 2,500 masks in a day hence the need for constant supply. We are receiving 50,000 masks this week and 65,000 more later. We have also ordered 500 PPEs for our health workers,” he said.