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Andhra Pradesh begins manufacturing of COVID-19 testing kits

The Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone will also start producing 3,000 ventilators from April 15, scaling it up to 6,000 per month from May.

Andhra Pradesh government, Jagan Mohan Reddy, Andhra Cm Company, Andhra govt restores mining lease, India news, Indian expressChief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy inaugurated the production from his office at Amaravati. (File) Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy inaugurated the production from his office at Amaravati. (File)

Andhra Pradesh started manufacturing COVID-19 testing kits at the Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone in Visakhapatnam Wednesday. Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy inaugurated the production from his office at Amaravati.

Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) is an exclusive Medical Equipment Manufacturing Zone in India. While the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has approved the manufacturing of kits at AMTZ, the Drug Controller General of India has granted exemption from all manufacturing approvals for ventilators in view of the current crisis.

“The state is proud to announce that the Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) has started manufacturing 2,000 testing kits for COVID-19 per day, making the state not only self-sufficient, but also capable of supplying testing kits to the entire country. The capacity will be increased to 25,000 per day,” Dr Rajat Bharghava, Special Chief Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, said.

The AMTZ will manufacture 2,000 testing kits for COVID-19 per day. (Express photo)

Further, the AMTZ will start producing 3,000 ventilators from April 15 and gradually scale it up to 6,000 per month from May. Hindustan Lifecare (HLL) will assist in the assembly of the ventilators.

The Centre has already placed an order for 3,500 ventilators and assembling of the units will start from April 15. For this, six companies have been selected in Phase 1.

As a token of support, the Industries and Commerce Department is donating 1,000 COVID-19 kits to the state government. Further, the industries department is also donating 10,000 liters of hand sanitisers, worth Rs 10 lakh, to the government. In addition to the above, APIIC Employees have contributed one-day salary to the tune of Rs 5,04,570 to the CM Relief Fund, Bharghava said.

Curated For You

Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More

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