Medical items declared essential, price to fall

The prices of medical items necessary for COVID-19 prevention and treatment will go down in the State with their formal declaration as essential articles on Friday.Following a proposal by the Health a

The prices of medical items necessary for COVID-19 prevention and treatment will go down in the State with their formal declaration as essential articles on Friday. Following a proposal by the Health and Family Welfare Department, the Food and Civil Supplies Department issued an order to declare 15 products as essential articles under the provisions of the Kerala Essential Articles Control Act, 1986 (13 of 1986). Their maximum retail prices have also been fixed as follows: PPE kits – ₹273, N95 mask – ₹22, triple layer mask – ₹3.90, face shield – ₹21, apron (disposable) – ₹12, surgical gown – ₹65, examination gloves – ₹5.75, hand sanitiser (500 ml) – ₹192, hand sanitiser (200 ml) – ₹98, hand sanitiser (100 ml) – ₹55, sterile gloves (pair) – ₹15, NRB (non-rebreather) mask – ₹80, oxygen mask – ₹54, flowmeter with humidifier – ₹1,520 and fingertip pulse oximeter – ₹1,500.