Locally-developed Covid testing kit launched

The locally-developed Covid testing kit was finally inaugurated on Tuesday after months of hibernation in the long process of approval and a no objection certificate (NOC) from the regulatory authority concerned.
The low cost kit, only Tk 250 for a single Covid sample test, will detect the presence of coronavirus in the human body even before the virus symptoms appear.
Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) and Dhaka University (DU) jointly developed the kit, which will be affordable by the low-income group or common people, according to the kit developers.
The Covid kit was officially inaugurated at a ceremony held at the BSMMU. BSMMU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Md. Sharfuddin Ahmed presented detailed information about the kit as the chief guest.
He said that the home-developed kit is hundred times better than others.
"This is a great achievement for the country. Through this, it will be possible to provide accurate coronavirus detection services to the people of the country at a very low cost."
"The development of this kit will make it possible to supply it (kit) across the country and it won't be needed to import testing kits from abroad spending dollars," he added.
He also said that the minimum detection capacity of this kit is 100 copies of virus/ml, while the minimum detection capacity of other imported kits is 1,000 copies of virus/ml.
The minimal viruses are detected with this kit. As a result, it will be possible to know the presence of the virus before the symptoms of the disease appear, he explained.
This kit is developed for the very low-cost method of RNA extraction. Therefore, the cost of manufacturing the kit is lower than the commercial kits.
So, with this kit each testing will cost only Tk 250, he continued. BCSIR Chairman Prof Md Aftab Ali Shaikh chaired the event.
BSMMU Treasurer Prof Dr. Mohammad Atiqur Rahman, Chairman of the BSMMU's virology department Prof Dr Afzalun Nessa and DU microbiology department teacher Prof Dr Chowdhury Rafiqul Ahsan also spoke at the event, among others.

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