To ramp up COVID-19 testing, Punjab to buy 7 more RNA extraction machines

A government statement said the move is aimed at controlling the spread of the pandemic through increased testing by augmenting the state’s fight under Mission Fateh.

“The Cabinet gave the go-ahead to procure seven automatic RNA extraction machines of Thermofisher-make model Kingfisher flex and test kits as approved by the Health Sector Response and Procurement Committee. The expenditure on these machines and test kits would be incurred from the State Disaster Response Fund, and the entire procurement process would be handled by the Vice-Chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot,” the statement said.

The Department of Medical Education & Research had established two viral testing labs in March 2020 itself — at GMCs in Patiala and Amritsar. Thereafter, in April 2020, the third viral testing lab was set up at Guru Gobind Singh Medical College, Faridkot. Initially, testing capacity for Covid-19 was about 40 tests per lab per day. Later, when the department installed extra machines, the testing capacity increased to 400 tests per lab per day.

Subsequently, testing capacity was further increased to 3,000 tests per lab per day with the purchase of three high throughput automatic RNA extraction machines by Baba Farid University.

However, the Covid cases are gradually increasing and the average number of new cases over the past seven days is 281 per day, as against 100 per day in June.