More than five million medical mouth masks purchased by the government have been rejected, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) has informed NU.nl after reporting AD. In total, the government has brought 47.2 million mouth masks to the Netherlands so far.
The figures show that so far 11 percent of mouth masks brought to the Netherlands have been rejected. The masks are purchased by the specially established National Consortium for Aids (LCH) in collaboration with the ministry.
In addition to these completely rejected masks, 3.9 million other masks are also kept in storage. These did not meet the claimed performance requirements.
“It is currently being investigated whether and how these masks can still be used in storage, even if they do not meet the quality requirements,” the Ministry of VWS said in a response.
Costs are where possible for the supplier
If this is ultimately not possible, it follows that almost 20 percent of the masks purchased so far are not usable.
The costs incurred by the LCH for the rejected masks are for the suppliers. If the costs cannot be recovered, the risk is for the Ministry of Health. It is unclear what part of the costs has been recovered from suppliers.
Masks extensively tested
The 47.2 million mouth masks purchased concern FFP-2 medical masks (with a filter) and IIR mouth masks and come mainly from Asia.
Before the masks are distributed to hospitals and other healthcare institutions, they are subjected to a rigorous quality test.
First, the certificates of the masks are checked before purchase. The quality in Asia is then assessed via a “visual inspection”.
In the Netherlands, masks go through ‘test street’
When entering the LCH storage center, a team from the National Institute for Public Health (RIVM) assesses the caps in a so-called test street. There, the effectiveness and safety of the masks is tested in five steps.
In step one, the papers and certificates are checked. After that, an occupational hygienist checks the papers and certificates. Respirator mask (FFP) filters are tested by qualified personnel. Afterwards, it is tested with specialized equipment whether the masks fit well on the face. Finally, surgical masks are tested for splash resistance.
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