Some Good News: Pratibha Syntex

With all of India on a strict stay-at-home lockdown, workers dependent on daily earnings are struggling to eat. SAC member Prathiba Syntex, an apparel manufacturer based in Pithampur, is cooking food as a voluntary service to help fight hunger. Pratibha Syntex employees on the company campus are cooking and packaging food, which is then distributed by Pithampur Municipal Corporation, the local governing body. In April, Pratibha Syntex fed 10,000 people in just 11 days. To date, the company has fed a total of 15,000 people.

The manufacturer is also supporting local healthcare workers in need of personal protective equipment (PPE). In Madhya Pradesh, a large state in central India, there is a significant shortage of PPE for medical personnel. Through a collaboration with the government, Pratibha Syntex is manufacturing PPE kits, masks, gloves, and other essential medical supplies to protect frontline healthcare workers.

Kumar Purushottam, head of the Madhya Pradesh Industry Development Corporation (MPIDC) says, “PPE kits will be supplied from [the city of] Indore to across the state. We have roped in Pratibha Syntex and many allied textile units to manufacture these kits for which the design and material have been approved by the state health department and initially over 2,000 PPE kits are being manufactured in a day.” While industry experts report the daily requirement is 6,000 to 7,000 PPE kits per day, Purushottam says the target is to scale up production to around 5,000 PPE kits in a day.

While manufacturing this much-needed PPE, Pratibha Syntex is ensuring the safety of its workers through numerous initiatives. All employees going to the offices have their temperature taken and are advised to wear masks. Hand washing stations have been installed around the offices, which are regularly cleaned to ensure employee safety. In response to the lockdown established by the Indian government, the company gave all of its employees paid leave and is providing medical assistance to workers and their families. It is also encouraging people to stay home, properly wash their hands, and stay safe on social media.