Guwahati: The Assam wing of the Congress has sought to highlight the lack of protective gear for healthcare professionals in the state.Assam Congress on Thursday, March 9, tweeted that according to Assam Bulletin on COVID-19 the state has 264 personal protection equipment (PPE), 975 N-95 masks, and 2,27,522 triple layer masks. The state Congress in its tweet said the numbers ‘show the pathetic condition of safety measures in a state with a population of 3.21 crore.’Only 56 PPEs for doctors & nurses and only 100 N95 masks for 3.30crore people of Assam are in central store of Assam Govt to fight #Covid19. It is seen more and more self publicities than taking measures against #Covid19. pic.twitter.com/qnT4VDV5v2— Assam Congress (@INCAssam) April 9, 2020#প্ৰতিৰোধ_কৰণা_নে_প্ৰচাৰ_কৰা-না pic.twitter.com/8lWHQldXp6— Assam Congress (@INCAssam) April 9, 2020The bulletin is an update on details like total number of samples tested, where they were tested, the number of passengers screened at airports, beds allocated for isolation with ICU/ventilators at the state-run hospitals and other details from January 28 to April 8.According to the bulletin, there are 56 PPE kits at the state’s central store, 107 at the state-run medical colleges-cum-hospitals, and 101 at the districts. The total number of PPEs is 264.There are 100 N-95 masks at the central store, 264 at medical colleges-cum-hospitals, and 611 in the districts.The central storage has 60,150 triple layer masks, there are 68,606 at the state hospitals and 98,766 in the districts.Also read: As Assam Gets First COVID-19 Patient, ‘Nizamuddin List’ Violates Privacy of ManyLeader of the opposition at the state legislative assembly, Debabrata Saikia told The Wire, “This is a serious matter considering the low numbers of essential equipment for our own frontline medical staff.”Saikia also pointed to the Assam government’s alleged incompetence in dealing with the Tablighi Jamaat congregation’s fallout when it comes to the disease.A central government circular dated April 2, sent to all the principal secretaries of health and family department across all the states and union territories in the country mentions that the “state governments and union territories may not go for the procurement of crucial medical equipment like PPEs, N95 masks and ventilators and these should be procured centrally by the ministry of health and family welfare (MOHFW) and distributed to the states.”The central government circular was signed by the undersecretary to the government of India, G.K. Pillai.Pillai has highlighted that the decision came after a meeting of the empowered group constituted under the Disaster Management Act.The circular says, “Certain states have been found to be holding sufficient stocks of materials with them but the field functionaries have been reported to be functioning without such equipment. The state governments should ensure timely distribution of the key equipment to field functionaries timely.”