Frontline health workers at risk when fighting COVID-19, and so are many others in the public and private sectors who come into daily contact with other people. To protect people from COVID-19, there is an enormous need for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as masks, gloves, and gowns. Currently, demand exceeds supply in many developing countries and IFC is working with partners to increase the production of PPE to meet these critical needs. Among other things, IFC is involved in boosting technical know-how to expand production, providing financing opportunities for companies that manufacture PPE, and help enable supply chains to ensure the availability of raw materials needed for PPE. This work complements efforts under IFC’s $4 billion Global Health Platform.
Technical Benchmarking Guide On COVID-19 Related Personal Protective Equipment New
Technical regulations and standards for PPE in select markets
This technical benchmarking guide, created in partnership with the British Standards Institution (BSI), helps fill a critical knowledge gap on technical regulations and standards for PPE. The guide presents the often complex and sometimes conflicting technical regulations, product standards and conformity assessment criteria in a simple way. It is intended to help manufacturers identify the realities of potential new markets and to act as a starting point for them to delve deeper into the specific product requirements and test methods by consulting the relevant standards and technical regulations as necessary.
Innovation in Manufacturing PPE
Toward Sustainability and Circularity
COVID-19 has led a surge in demand for personal protective equipment and exacerbated the global waste problem as most PPE is made of plastic and disposable. A new IFC report entitled, “Innovation in PPE Manufacturing: Towards Circularity & Sustainability”, funded by UK Aid, describes how a growing number of manufacturers adopt innovative approaches towards circularity & sustainability in PPE manufacturing. The report provides a call to action to decision-makers in the public and private sector to come together to design, procure, manufacture, and use PPE that protects healthcare workers, the general public, and our planet.
Transforming the Medical PPE Ecosystem
Working Paper
Personal protective equipment has been an unglamorous hero in the pandemic, saving a huge number of lives at relatively low cost, a newly published global overview of the sector finds. This paper offers recommendations on how to improve the sector, from stronger procurement procedures to higher production quality standards to a more regionally diverse manufacturing base.
Global Demand and Supply for
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
A new report by the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides an in-depth analysis of the current and future PPE market globally. The report analyzes current and future dynamics of the global PPE market will be presented. The report provides directional estimates of global PPE demand for 2020-2025 by volume, factoring in the impact of COVID-19 on various geographies, PPE usage and user segments. IFC and FCDO is holding a series of webinars on PPE supply and demand, bringing in expert speakers, including the report’s authors.
IFC’s PPE calculator
The calculator allows manufacturers to assess investments and working capital needs for the productions of essential PPE supplies.
What the calculator does
Based on your input data it calculates:
- Capital expenditure for production lines
- Working Capital needs
- Revenue & EBIT (Earning before interest & tax)
What the calculator does not do
Based on your input data it does not calculate:
- Accurate product costing
- Accurate material procurement volumes
- Accurate cash flows
IFC’s work to expand PPE production and availability in developing countries is supported in partnership with the Government of the UK.
