The Andhra Pradesh Medtech Zone Ltd in Visakhapatnam is going to roll out COVID-19 testing kits in a week and ventilators by April 15 for use at the coronavirus treatment facilities in the State, said Special Chief Secretary (Industries & Commerce) Rajat Bhargava.
At a press conference along with Special Chief Secretary (Agriculture and Fisheries) Poonam Malakondaiah and ex-officio Secretary T. Vijay Kumar Reddy here on Saturday, he denied the allegations that the medtech zone is being neglected by the State government.
He said that the zone which was started in 2017 was in the second phase of development in 200 acres at ₹300 crore and the APIIC is handling it.
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He said 177 companies had come forward to set up their units and since the COVID-19 outbreak in December orders for manufacture of testing kits and ventilators had been given.
Ms. Poonam said that efforts were being made to supply 3,000 ventilators by the end of April and 6,000 every month thereafter. The companies in the zone would be able to supply 10,000 COVID-19 testing kits every week and by May the capacity would be increased to 25,000 kits. The manufacturing units had acquired all the approvals from ICMR, she said.
Thirteen research units had been functioning in the zone at present and the government had sanctioned over ₹30 crore for development of supporting facilities.
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She said there was no truth in the allegations that some companies had left the zone after the elections.