Ankara claims reports of faulty PPE shipment to UK are part of campaign to ‘defame’ Turkey

Media reports about a large shipment of Turkish-made personal protective equipment (PPE) failing quality standards upon arrival in the UK are baseless smears, Ankara has claimed. The story has caused headaches for Downing Street.

A report first published by the Telegraph and later picked up by other outlets alleged that 400,000 items of PPE sent to the United Kingdom to help battle coronavirus were deemed unusable. 

However, Turkey’s communications director, Fahrettin Altun, wrote on Twitter on Friday that allegations suggesting the medical garments were substandard are part of a campaign to “defame” the country.

He claimed that the media were caught in a “vortex of lies” and that the reports have been “refuted.”

Dominick Chilcott, the UK’s ambassador to Turkey, also pushed back against the “untrue” claims.

“A small number of gowns from a private supplier have failed tests. But more gowns from that supplier have passed tests and are suitable for use in the NHS,” the British diplomat insisted.

His assessment seems to be at odds with Downing Street, however. According to the BBC, the prime minister’s spokesman said the NHS was in talks with the supplier to get a replacement order. Adding more confusion, however, a spokesman for the Turkish company which supplied the goods told the news outlet that they had not received any complaints and that all items had been certified.

Issues with the shipment of Turkish PPE was originally highlighted by the Tory government as proof of its pro-active approach to combating Covid-19. Reports that the medical garments turned out to be of no use sparked outrage across the UK, with politicians and citizens alike lambasting Downing Street for its purported carelessness.

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