<p>Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday launched a mobile laboratory for coronavirus testing which can be deployed in rural areas and help in promoting last-mile testing.</p>.<p>The mobile lab, also called I-Lab or Infectious Diseases Diagnostics Lab, can run 50 RT-PCR and about 200 ELISA tests in a day. A double set of machines can help increase the capacity to about 500 tests per day in 8 hours shift, Vardhan said.</p>.<p>The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) under the Ministry of Science and Technology along with the Andhra Pradesh Med-tech Zone (AMTZ) has initiated DBT-AMTZ COMManD (COVID-19 Medtech Manufacturing Development) consortia to address the shortage of critical healthcare technologies in India and move progressively towards a stage of self-sufficiency.</p>.<p>AMTZ is Asia's first medical equipment manufacturing ecosystem, uniquely dedicated for medical technology and supported by various ministries.</p>.<p>The mobile testing lab is an outcome of this initiative.</p>.<p>“This mobile testing facility will be deployed through the DBT testing hubs to remote regions of the country for coronavirus testing,” the minister said.</p>.<p>There are now over 20 hubs in the country with 100 testing laboratories and these have tested more than 2,60,000 samples.</p>.<p>Vardhan added that there are 953 testing laboratories in all corners of the country at present.</p>.<p>“In the near future with all these collective and cooperative efforts, India will achieve self-sufficiency in healthcare technologies leading towards ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’,” he said.</p>.<p>DBT Secretary Renu Swarup said through the concerted efforts of Indian scientists, the country has achieved a capacity of producing over 5 lakh testing kits per day, exceeding the target of having one lakh test kits by May 31.</p>.<p>She also noted that I-Lab has been created in a record eight days by the Andhra Pradesh Med-tech Zone team with the support of DBT.</p>
<p>Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday launched a mobile laboratory for coronavirus testing which can be deployed in rural areas and help in promoting last-mile testing.</p>.<p>The mobile lab, also called I-Lab or Infectious Diseases Diagnostics Lab, can run 50 RT-PCR and about 200 ELISA tests in a day. A double set of machines can help increase the capacity to about 500 tests per day in 8 hours shift, Vardhan said.</p>.<p>The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) under the Ministry of Science and Technology along with the Andhra Pradesh Med-tech Zone (AMTZ) has initiated DBT-AMTZ COMManD (COVID-19 Medtech Manufacturing Development) consortia to address the shortage of critical healthcare technologies in India and move progressively towards a stage of self-sufficiency.</p>.<p>AMTZ is Asia's first medical equipment manufacturing ecosystem, uniquely dedicated for medical technology and supported by various ministries.</p>.<p>The mobile testing lab is an outcome of this initiative.</p>.<p>“This mobile testing facility will be deployed through the DBT testing hubs to remote regions of the country for coronavirus testing,” the minister said.</p>.<p>There are now over 20 hubs in the country with 100 testing laboratories and these have tested more than 2,60,000 samples.</p>.<p>Vardhan added that there are 953 testing laboratories in all corners of the country at present.</p>.<p>“In the near future with all these collective and cooperative efforts, India will achieve self-sufficiency in healthcare technologies leading towards ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’,” he said.</p>.<p>DBT Secretary Renu Swarup said through the concerted efforts of Indian scientists, the country has achieved a capacity of producing over 5 lakh testing kits per day, exceeding the target of having one lakh test kits by May 31.</p>.<p>She also noted that I-Lab has been created in a record eight days by the Andhra Pradesh Med-tech Zone team with the support of DBT.</p>