GUWAHATI: Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati (IIT-G) has developed three types of indigenously-made COVID-19 diagnostic kits, the first batch of which has already been delivered to the National Health Mission, Assam and Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).
Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday launched the affordable and sterile VTM (viral transport media), RT-PCR and RNA isolation/extraction kits, which have been jointly developed by research teams from both IIT-G and RR Animal Healthcare Ltd here in accordance with the standards laid down by GMCH.
VTM kits are the first stop source used to collect the nasal and oral swab specimens from the individual source to the laboratory safely for culture and testing. During this period, the virus, if present in the sample specimens, should remain intact until the testing procedure is completed.
“The launch of the VTM and other COVID-19 related kits made by IIT-G is a big achievement for Assam as we can now procure these indigenously-made sterile and high quality kits, which are usually in high demand and therefore not always available, from the institute. As of now though the institute will not be able to meet our daily requirement of 10,000 kits,” Sarma said.
So far, 950 VTM kits, which have been tested and validated, have been supplied to NHM, Assam.
IIT-G will be providing the kits to the state health department at Rs 140 per VTM kit only. The health department has so far been ordering the kits at Rs 206 per kit from the market.
Owing to high demand for these COVID-19 diagnostic kits and the high price associated in their timely procurement, NHM Assam had approached IIT-G for development of the kits and procurement.
Speaking at the launch of the kits at GMCH, Parameswar Krishnan Iyer, professor at the department of chemistry, IIT-G, said that the institute had immediately acted upon the request of NHM Assam director to begin production of these sterile and affordable VTM kits and the first batch has been already delivered to GMCH.