A surgical mask, also known as a procedure mask, medical mask or simply as a face mask, is intended to be worn by health professionals during surgery and during nursing to catch the bacteria shed in liquid droplets and aerosols from the wearer's mouth and nose. They are not designed to protect the wearer from inhaling airborne bacteria or virus particles and are less effective than respirators, such as N95 or FFP masks, which provide better protection due to their material, shape and tight seal.
Surgical masks are designed to keep operating rooms sterile, preventing germs from the mouth and nose of a wearer from contaminating a patient during surgery. Although they have seen a rise in popularity among consumers during outbreaks such as the coronavirus, surgical masks are not designed to filter out viruses, which are smaller than germs.
The India surgical mask market accounted for $58 million in 2017, and is projected to reach $95 million by 2025, registering a CAGR of 6.1% from 2018 to 2025. Surgical masks are made of natural fiber, such as cotton or disposable linen or synthetic materials, such as polypropylene. They are made of different layers including a hydrophobic outer layer, a middle filtering layer, and an inner hydrophilic layer to absorb the fluid and moisture. They are used as a barrier to avoid cross contamination by microorganisms and are used during surgical procedures. The surgical mask is used by surgeons during procedures and other medical professionals while interacting with the patients to avoid cross contamination of microorganisms.
The India surgical mask market is driven by various factors, such as increase in elderly population, increase in adoption of surgical mask in the general population, and surge in prevalence of contagious and chronic diseases such as tuberculosis and asthma. Furthermore, rise in the number of medical device manufacturing companies is also anticipated to supplement the growth of the surgical masks industry.
The demand within the global market for surgical mask has been rising on account of advancements in the field of medical surgery and diagnosis. Surgical masks are meant to protect doctors and surgeons from harmful infections and pathogens that may get suspended in the surgery room. Furthermore, the patient who is under treatment also needs to be protected from infectious agents that may be discharged by others in the surgery rooms. Hence, the global market for surgical mask is expected to expand at a stellar pace in the years to follow. There have been multiple attempts at manufacturing improved surgical masks, and this has given an impetus to market growth.
The world is currently experiencing the pandemic of an infectious disease called COVID-19. This infection leads to multiple organ failure, acute & severe respiratory disorders, pneumonia, and even death in severe cases. Hence, surge in number of people with coronavirus infections is anticipated to drive the global surgical face masks market. According to the World Health Organization, globally, 823,626 confirmed and 72,736 new cases of COVID-19.
The effectiveness of surgical face mask in blocking the transmission of SARS is 68%. Therefore, it is widely used by medical workers as part of droplet transmission precaution when caring for patients with respiratory infections. Hence, increase in use of surgical face masks is projected to fuel the growth of the global surgical face masks market. Furthermore, vulnerable populations, such as older adults with chronic conditions, are at high risk of infectious diseases, including COVID-19. Hence, the use of face mask to prevent infections by the geriatric population is anticipated to drive the global market.
Few Indian major players are as under
3M India Ltd.
Health Insurance T P A Ltd.
GoodKimberly-Clark India Pvt. Ltd.
Mediklin Healthcare Ltd.
Surgeine Healthcare (India) Pvt. Ltd.