PATHUM THANI: The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) has launched a surgical mask production line amid promises the country will not run short of such supplies during future epidemics.
Based in Pathum Thani province, the drug-making plant covering 120 square metres has machines to produce single-use surgical masks to help meet demand, which has surged to five times normal levels. During the Covid-19 outbreak, demand for surgical masks reached up to 200 million pieces per month, compared to 40 million pieces a month normally.
Speaking at the opening on Wednesday, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the country suffered a shortage of surgical masks at the start of the outbreak in the first quarter. Reports of mask shortages emerged at many hospitals, leading to a government order that they be regarded as a controlled commodity and a system imposed in which surgical masks were allocated to hospital staff as a first priority, he said.
"We have passed the crisis in which bad merchants took advantage of us by hiking prices and hoarding supply. The GPO's mask-making line can indirectly control prices in the market. We can increase our capacity to fight unfair prices," he said, adding the price of surgical masks produced by GPO will be 2.50 baht per piece. The plant can make 10 million pieces per year.
Withoon Danwiboon, GPO's managing director, said the plant was granted a permit by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to produce the masks, and it has worked with a private company to expand production.
Mr Anutin also said the GPO has prepared the ingredients and technology to produce its own Favipiravir, regarded as one of the most effective drugs for tackling the virus, adding it is now in the process of testing and waiting for FDA approval.
