<p>Accusing NICED, the nodal agency of ICMR in West Bengal of supplying “apparently defective test kits”, the state government stated that these kits were resulting into a large number of “inconclusive results” and causing a delay in producing final test reports.</p>.<p>The state’s Department of Health and Family Welfare in a series of tweets also claimed that not just the government labs, but other related laboratories in the country also faced similar problems.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-live-updates-mha-forms-6-imct-to-make-on-spot-assessment-indias-tally-exceeds-17400-toll-at-561-827545.html">Follow live updates on coronavirus</a></p>.<p>“The testing kits supplied by ICMR-NICED about two weeks ago have started to throw up a large number of ‘inconclusive’ results, necessitating a repeat/ ‘confirmatory’ test run, thereby causing a delay in the generation of the final test report,” tweeted the Health Department.</p>.<p>The Health Department further alleged that the kits supplied by “ICMR-NICED” were resulting into “high number” of repeat or confirmatory tests which is leading to delay in preparing the final report.</p>.<p>“The apparently defective test kits supplied by ICMR-NICED, Kolkata are resulting in a high number of repeat/ confirmatory tests and causing delays and other attendant problems at a time when we are battling a pandemic. This is an issue that ICMR needs to look into immediately,” tweeted Health Department.</p>.<p>The Health Department stated that such problems were not there with kits when they were being supplied by the National Institute of Virology in Pune.</p>.<p>“There was no problem earlier when the testing kits were being received directly from National Institute of Virology, Pune. Recently, the supplies to Government Labs in West Bengal have been routed through ICMR-NICED, Kolkata,” tweeted the Health Department.</p>.<p>The Director of NICED, Shanta Dutta said that the test kits were not being standardised and hence, were not yielding accurate results in some cases.</p>.<p>“Earlier the kit was assembled with primer procured by NIV and probes from the United States. NIV standardised the kits with other controls and reagents and directly delivered it to Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories,” said Datta.</p>.<p>She also said that with increasing demand it became difficult for NIV to cope with it and then ICMR procured readymade kits and supplied them directly to related laboratories .</p>.<p>She said ICMR was considering the issue “very seriously.”</p>
<p>Accusing NICED, the nodal agency of ICMR in West Bengal of supplying “apparently defective test kits”, the state government stated that these kits were resulting into a large number of “inconclusive results” and causing a delay in producing final test reports.</p>.<p>The state’s Department of Health and Family Welfare in a series of tweets also claimed that not just the government labs, but other related laboratories in the country also faced similar problems.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-live-updates-mha-forms-6-imct-to-make-on-spot-assessment-indias-tally-exceeds-17400-toll-at-561-827545.html">Follow live updates on coronavirus</a></p>.<p>“The testing kits supplied by ICMR-NICED about two weeks ago have started to throw up a large number of ‘inconclusive’ results, necessitating a repeat/ ‘confirmatory’ test run, thereby causing a delay in the generation of the final test report,” tweeted the Health Department.</p>.<p>The Health Department further alleged that the kits supplied by “ICMR-NICED” were resulting into “high number” of repeat or confirmatory tests which is leading to delay in preparing the final report.</p>.<p>“The apparently defective test kits supplied by ICMR-NICED, Kolkata are resulting in a high number of repeat/ confirmatory tests and causing delays and other attendant problems at a time when we are battling a pandemic. This is an issue that ICMR needs to look into immediately,” tweeted Health Department.</p>.<p>The Health Department stated that such problems were not there with kits when they were being supplied by the National Institute of Virology in Pune.</p>.<p>“There was no problem earlier when the testing kits were being received directly from National Institute of Virology, Pune. Recently, the supplies to Government Labs in West Bengal have been routed through ICMR-NICED, Kolkata,” tweeted the Health Department.</p>.<p>The Director of NICED, Shanta Dutta said that the test kits were not being standardised and hence, were not yielding accurate results in some cases.</p>.<p>“Earlier the kit was assembled with primer procured by NIV and probes from the United States. NIV standardised the kits with other controls and reagents and directly delivered it to Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories,” said Datta.</p>.<p>She also said that with increasing demand it became difficult for NIV to cope with it and then ICMR procured readymade kits and supplied them directly to related laboratories .</p>.<p>She said ICMR was considering the issue “very seriously.”</p>
