Tamil Nadu returns 24,000 Rapid Test Kits for COVID-19 after ICMR’s revised advisory

New Delhi: Tamil Nadu on Monday (April 27) returned as many as 24,000 Rapid Test Kits following the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) advisory issued to states asking them no to make use of speedy antibody test kits from two Chinese corporations attributable to high quality difficulty. 

Earlier within the day, the ICMR issued a revised advisory to state governments relating to Rapid Antibody Blood exams. The states had been requested to cease utilizing COVID-19 speedy testing kits procured from China attributable to their poor high quality. The authorities mentioned that not a single rupee shall be misplaced in cancelling the orders as funds weren’t made to the Chinese suppliers.

India procured round 5 lakh speedy antibody test kits from the 2 Chinese companies, Guongzhou Wondfo Biotech and Livzon Diagnostics, they usually had been distributed to a number of states reporting rising instances of the coronavirus an infection.

In a communication to chief secretaries of all states and union territories, the ICMR requested them to cease utilizing the kits saying it discovered “wide variation” in effectiveness of the gear equipped by the 2 Chinese companies regardless of promise of fine efficiency.

“The ICMR has not made any payment in respect of these supplies. Because of the due process followed (not going for procurement with 100 per cent advance amount), Government of India does not stand to lose a single rupee,” the well being ministry mentioned, within the midst of a raging controversy over the procurement.

As many as 81 folks had been discharged right now following restoration from COVID-19 as 52 examined positive for the contagion, together with a one-year-old little one, taking the variety of instances in Tamil Nadu to 1,937, in accordance with the state authorities.

As key city areas of the state entered the second day of full lockdown, the lively variety of instances as on date stood at 809 and people discharged was increased at 1,101. From varied hospitals, 81 had been discharged and testing of 1381 samples had been beneath course of in varied labs and the fatalities remained at Sunday’s rely of 24, a Tamil Nadu authorities bulletin mentioned.

The exams are performed in 30 authorities and 11 personal labs throughout Tamil Nadu and right now alone 6,753 folks had been examined and cumulatively 86,339 have been examined (RT-PCR test). As many as 94,781 samples have up to now been examined which incorporates repeat specimen from the identical individuals for confirmatory functions.

Chennai, main the crimson zone of Tamil Nadu had almost the entire new instances right now (47) and with this, 570 folks had examined positive for the an infection within the state capital.

Rapid Antibody exams: HealthMin clarifies on controversy over costs 

Union Ministry of Health clarified on the details on the controversy round costs of Rapid Antibody exams. It mentioned: 

The ICMR makes procurement choices. Testing is without doubt one of the most important weapons to battle COVID-19 and ICMR is doing every little thing it could possibly to ramp up testing. This requires procurement of kits and supplying them to states. This procurement is being undertaken when globally, there’s a large demand for these test kits and varied nations are making use of their full would possibly, financial and diplomatic, to amass them.

ICMR’s first try to acquire these kits didn’t elicit any response from the suppliers. Its second try acquired ample responses. Of these responses, taking sensitivity and specificity in thoughts, kits of two corporations (Biomedemics and Wondfo) had been recognized for procurement. Both had the requisite worldwide certifications.

For Wondfo, the analysis committee acquired four bids and the corresponding quotes obtained had been Rs 1,204, Rs. 1,200, Rs. 844 and Rs. 600. Accordingly, bid-offer of  Rs. 600 was thought of as L-1.

ICMR additionally tried to acquire the kits immediately from Wondfo firm in China by means of CGI. However, the citation obtained from direct procurement had the next points:

-The citation was FOB (Free on Board) with none dedication to logistics points.
-The citation was on the idea of 100% direct advance with none ensures.
-There was no dedication to timelines.
-Rates had been communicated in US {dollars} with none clause for accounting for fluctuations in costs.
-Hence, it was determined to go Wondfo’s unique distributor for India for the package who quoted an all-inclusive worth for FOB (logistics) with none clause for advance.

Notably, it was the first-ever effort by any Indian company to acquire such kits and the speed quoted by the bidders was the one reference level.

After receipt of some provides, ICMR has once more carried out high quality checks on these kits in discipline circumstances. Based on the scientific evaluation of their efficiency, the order in query (Wondfo) together with the order in respect of one other make discovered under-performing have been cancelled.

The ICMR has not made any fee by any means in respect of those provides. Because of the due course of adopted (not going for procurement with 100% advance quantity), GoI doesn’t stand to lose a single rupee.