Jammu Tawi:The Indian Rubber Gloves Manufacturers Association (IRGMA) in its latest bid to mitigate safety and health risks of medicos has sought directives through communications to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change to ban the import of chlorinated gloves and has also notified the Customs (Imports) Department of the violation of bio-waste disposal rules by importers especially of the phased out chlorinated gloves, and non-compliance of gloves manufacturers sending chlorinated gloves to India, some making way into India spuriously. IRGMA is seeking the use of only BIS Approved Gloves, through GEM, for Government Hospitals, conforming to the consideration and implementation of QCO (Quality Control Order) aligned with MDR 2017 Compliance of CDSCO Gazette Notification which was to come into effect from 1st Oct 2022.In their communications to the aforesaid authorities, IRGMA has brought to notice that the Central Pollution Control Board had issued a letter to phase out the use of chlorinated gloves by 27th March 2019; that West Bengal State Pollution Control Board has issued directives to ban the use of chlorinated gloves and that CPCB has issued directive not to allow imports in violation of guidelines that ban chlorinated gloves.In yet another communication to the Malaysian Rubber Council, IRGMA has specified that chlorinated gloves of all kinds are not allowed by the Indian authorities owing to violation of the guidelines, and that they do not require test to be validated in the view of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India, and Biomedical Waste Rules 2016.
In their communication to AIIMS, IRGMA has issued a disclaimer to ensure that the healthcare industry procures the right quality of Disposal, Latex and Nitrile gloves to comply with the expected standards and rules prevalent.Speaking about the directives on chlorinated gloves, Sunil Patwari (President – IRGMA) said, “It is time that these spurious imports and usage of chlorinated gloves be curbed as it is detrimental to the health of both the healthcare providers and the patients, and for their safety the Government and the authorities must make firm implementations that impede the spurious circulation and import of chlorinated gloves.”Konda Anindith Reddy (Managing Director – Wadi SurgicalsEnliva Gloves) added, “We need to ensure that we are providing the right quality gloves to the medical practitioners for the safety of them and the patients as well. This kind of trust will come only if there is a stringent regulation on the spurious circulation and import of chlorinated gloves.”
