COVID-19: Mask priced Rs 17 being sold at the cost of Rs 200 in the market

On 28 January 2020, Maharashtra government-owned Haffkine Bio Pharmaceutical Corp Ltd was sold 92,500 N95 masks by Venus Safety and Health Pvt Ltd at just Rs 17.33 per mask.

Haffkine Institute had purchased N95 masks at a unit price of Rs 17.33, the same masks are now being sold in the market for Rs 200 under the name 'Urgent Need'. Haffkine also bought a triple layer mask for 84 paise which is now sold in the market at Rs 50 per unit.

The N95 mask is very important armor in battling the COVID-19 pandemic. There has been rampant black marketing and profiteering in the sale of N95 protective face masks amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Maharashtra state's public health department has also majorly contributed in this whole black marketing and profiteering of the protective gear. 

Citing 'emergency situations' the Principal Secretary, Department of Public Health has twice directed the Director of Public Health and Medical Education to procure the protective gears as required.

Therefore, at the district level across the state, there is no proper communication or coordination among the District Health Officer,  district collector, ward officer in Municipal Area and in the Municipal Commissioner in the procurement of medicines. All this is being done by the authorities citing 'urgent need'.

The N95 masks were bought by the government at Rs 12.25 a piece, including taxes in September last year, which went on to cost Rs 17.33 in January 2020, Rs 42 by March 31 (2020), and up to Rs 63 by the middle of May (2020), according to a report in The Times of India.

There are only two companies in Mumbai producing N-95 or 3- ply masks - Venus Safety and Health Private Limited and Magnum Health and Safety Pvt Ltd.

Sucheta Dalal and Anjali Damania had filed an PIL claiming that prices of N95 masks need to be capped to prevent black marketing of masks during the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (FDA)’s letter dated 15 May 2020, clearly show that though the MRP of N95 masks have been bloated to Rs199 per mask, the average rate charged of the said masks was Rs28.57 per mask in the fourth quarter of financial year 2019-2020 and had increased to Rs42.95 per mask and Rs46.40 per mask in the months of April and May 2020 respectively. Thus, it is clear that the MRP as set by the manufacturers are almost 300% higher than the average price at which these masks were being sold,” Ms Damania had pointed out in her submission.

The Secretary of Public Health did not approve the order. While it is true that many things need to be bought immediately, but that doesn't mean if something wrong is being done then it will not be tolerated by the government, said Rajesh Tope, Minister of Public Health.