COVID-19: South Eastern Railway produces masks, hand sanitiser for its staff

The South Eastern Railway (SER) has made nearly 92,000 face masks and more than 5,000 litres of hand sanitiser for the use of its healthcare personnel and staff to ensure their safety in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, an official said here on Monday.

For latest updates and live news on coronavirus, click here

The SER is producing reusable face masks and hand sanitiser in its four divisions and at the Kharagpur workshop, its spokesman Sanjay Ghosh said.

These are being prepared in Kharagpur, Adra, Ranchi and Chakradharpur divisions under strict supervision of its medical department, he said.

"The divisional units of the SER and the Kharagpur workshop have so far produced 91,800 reusable face masks and 5,020 litres of hand sanitiser," Ghosh said. The reusable face masks and hand sanitiser are being distributed among the frontline employees like loco pilots, guards and staff engaged in running of freight and parcel express trains to ensure their protection, he said.

"It has also been planned to distribute masks and hand sanitiser to all employees of the SER," he said. The masks and sanitiser are also being sent to health units and hospitals in the SER zone, the spokesman said.

It is also making personal protective equipment (PPE) at the Kharagpur workshop and the divisional unit there for the protection of its healthcare personnel during treatment of COVID-19 patients, Ghosh said. "The initiative is not only ensuring timely supply of masks, sanitiser and PPEs to the frontline staff and healthcare personnel, but will also result in substantial cost savings," he added