Turkey launches mass production of respirators
ANKARA
Turkey has launched the mass production of respirators with 1,000 products on the manufacturing line for the Health Ministry to use, along with 5,000 others ordered, Science and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank said on March 26.
“The Industry and Technology Ministry is a ministry providing support to research and development, to Technopark. We have seen that our companies produce both professional breathing apparatus as well as household appliances in Turkey. A good formation has now developed. We have brought together our producers who want to contribute to this with these initiatives,” he told reporters.
The ministry prepared a special and fast program with the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) to enable the projects of the entrepreneurs and scientists to be implemented immediately, he said, noting that they call on entrepreneurs for products to be used in the struggle against the novel coronavirus.
“As of today, our call will be open until April 2, these will be finalized in a maximum of one week. We will quickly support products and protective products to be used in the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19. As of today, we have launched the TÜBİTAK COVID-19 Portal, which we developed as a new application,” Varank said.
All researchers working on this subject in the country will be able to share information, experience, and data through this portal, he noted.
Restriction of permission for export of respirators
Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan on March 26 announced that the exports of products such as ventilators, consumable ventilation and intubation tubes intensive care monitors are stipulated to permission from the Medical Devices Agency.
Pekcan said that the decisions were taken primarily to meet the demand of the domestic market.
Pekcan also announced that a total of 10,090,060 Turkish Lira fine was imposed on 198 companies, which were found to have applied unfair price increases on products.
Defense Ministry accelerates production of masks
The Defense Ministry has set up an anti-coronavirus center as part of its efforts to combat the pandemic. MKE Maksam Machine and Mask Factory Directorate, along with the sewing houses affiliated to the ministry are taking up manufacturing.
Disposable mask products were increased to 400,000-500,000 pieces daily in the factories of the ministry, along with increased disinfectant production, the factory’s head, Turgay Topaloğlu, told Anadolu Agency.
Stating that they have increased their mask production capacity by two times, Topaloğlu said, “We are establishing a new machine for the production of cloth masks, which we call surgical masks. Thus, we will increase our daily production capacity to 100,000-150,000 Besides, we produce around 15,000 panoramic and KBRN [chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear] masks per month.”
