Jordan exported 93 million face masks amid crisis — JFDA

AMMAN — Jordanian factories have exported more than 93 million face masks and nearly half a million medical gowns across the world since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March.

Director General of the Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) Nizar Muhaidat, in a statement cited by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, on Tuesday, highlighted the “qualitative leaps” in the manufacturing of face masks and medical devices amid the COVID-19 pandemic, pointing out that statistics of medical supply exports have shown remarkable increase since March.

A total of 93,484,907 face masks have been exported throughout the pandemic, in addition to 21,036,901 sanitisers, 50,000 plastic face shields, 438,856 medical gowns, 102,000 medical overalls and 61 disinfecting booths, Muhaidat said.

Jordan, during a short period of time, managed to produce around 4.5 million face masks per day, covering all its needs of sanitisers, as well as exports to more than 70 countries, he said.

The medical supplies industry witnessed a “remarkable growth” during the pandemic.

Fifteen surgical masks factories as well as 32 fabric masks factories have been established and licensed, which produce the needs of the local market and export the surplus to foreign markets, the official noted.

The JFDA has recently reduced the selling price of surgical masks, with the price of a packet of 50 masks to be sold at JD5.25, inclusive of all taxes.

He stressed the keenness of the Medical Supplies Department’s oversight teams in conducting inspection tours to face mask factories to ensure their commitment in line with the approved specifications.

He also highlighted the department’s plan for carrying out inspection tours to pharmacies and other places selling masks to ensure that unauthorised, non-conforming or counterfeit face masks are not in circulation.