Hyderabad: Even as the department of pharmaceuticals, under the Union chemicals and fertilisers ministry, submitted the Medical and Surgical Gloves (Quality Control) Order, 2024 (QCO) to the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Indian Rubber Gloves Manufacturers Association (IRGMA) alleged a massive import scam where unscrupulous importers are stockpiling low-quality non-medical gloves before the QCO comes into effect.
The QCO for gloves is expected to regulate the imports of gloves worth 600-700 crore and ensure that only BIS-certified gloves, imported or domestically manufactured, can be sold for medical use in India. The order is applicable to disposable surgical gloves, single-use medical examination gloves, and post-mortem rubber gloves, preventing bulk imports of substandard gloves. Once enforced, it will mandate BIS certification for all medical and surgical gloves, bringing much-needed quality assurance and regulatory oversight to a market that was flooded with substandard and illegally imported gloves from Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and China.
Alleging exploitative import practices, IRGMA said unscrupulous importers are hoarding bulk shipments of non-medical gloves in anticipation of the QCO implementation, with plans to repackage and mislabel them as medical gloves once stricter BIS certification becomes mandatory.
Terming it as an “orchestrated” effort to flood India’s market with substandard gloves before the QCO kicks in, IRGMA spokesperson Vikas Anand said: “These gloves, falsely classified as non-medical at import, are being repackaged and sent to hospitals, exposing patients and doctors to serious risks. To make matters worse, with US tariffs restricting Chinese glove exports, China’s excess glove stock is being funnelled through Malaysia and Thailand, destabilising Indian manufacturers and public health. We demand immediate govt intervention before the issue turns into a full-blown national crisis.”
Konda Anindith Reddy, managing director of Hyderabad-based Wadi Surgicals, said: “This QCO is crucial in protecting India’s healthcare workers and patients. Substandard gloves increase the risk of cross-contamination, endangering lives. Regulatory agencies must ensure that illegal imports are curbed immediately.”
