AfricaPress-Tanzania: IN a bid to support the government’s efforts towards improving the health sector, the Coast-Region based Afya Gear Company is set to introduce the masks and gloves manufacturing from September this year.
It is a-13.8bn/-joint venture investment between the National Development Corporation (NDC) and South Korean government, wherein the estimated capacity of production are 400,000 pieces of masks and gloves per day, said the Company’s Marketing Representative, Ms Trifina Tanzania, yesterday in the on-going 44th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF).
Ms Tanzania said the amount is equal to equal to 480 pieces (240 masks, 240 gloves), per minute, while over 200 locals will also benefit from employment opportunities in the Company.
“The idea was especially intensified after President John Magufuli asked the Tanzanians to take precautions over the imported masks during the fight against Coronavirus spread. Apart from that, we learned that the country has incurred huge costs to import masks while we can locally produce and meet the international standards,” she said.
It is industrial and public (anti-bacteria) types of masks are set to be manufactured with a quality of N95, as well as surgical and examination types of gloves, according to the Marketing Representative, affirming that:
Already some South Korean nationals living in Uganda have ordered the products, assuring that the Company is sure of the markets since no industry in East Africa has been invested in such a type of production (masks and gloves) so far.
NDC Public Relation Officer, Mr Innocent Msuha commented that the corporation has been in various ways supporting the government in the improvements of the health sector, including manufacturing of biolarvicide- related products, to wipe out the mosquito breeding sites.
