Question: Who launched country’s first mobile I-LAB (Infectious Disease Diagnostic Lab) for COVID-19 testing on June 18, 2020?
(a) Narendra Modi
(b) Dr. Harshvardhan
(c) Arvind Kejriwal
(d) Piyush Goyal
Answer: (b)
Related facts:
- Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan launched India’s first mobile I-Lab (Infectious disease diagnostic lab) for COVID-19 testing on June 18, 2020 for last mile testing access.
- These I-Labs will be deployed in remote, interior and inaccessible parts of the country and have capability to perform 25 COVID-19 RT-PCR tests/Day, 300 ELISA tests/day, additional tests for TB, HIV etc. as per CGHS rates.
- The Infectious Disease Diagnostic Lab (I-LAB) is supported by the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, under the Covid Command strategy.
- This I-Lab has been created by the Andhra Pradesh Med-tech Zone team with the support of DBT under the National Biopharma Mission in a record time of 8 days. The unit has biosafety facility and is capable of performing RT-PCR as well as ELISA tests.
- This is a mobile diagnostic unit with biosafety facility. The I- lab is a BSL-2 facility with on-site ELISA, RT-PCR, Bio chemistry analysers. It can run 50 RT-PCR reactions and about 200 ELISA in a day. Double set of Machines can help increase the capacity to about 500 per day in 8 hours shift.
- Specification of the I-LAB:
- Automotive Chassis, Diagnostic Equipment, Clean Room, BSL-2 lab, bio-safety cabinets.
- 25 tests (RT-PCR) per I-Lab per Day, 300 ELISA tests/day.
- Additional test for other diseases for TB, HIV etc. to be costed as per CGHS rates.
By : Himanshu Shukla
Links:
https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=209597