NEW DELHI: Amid concerns raised in India about the quality of rapid test kits recently purchased from China, the Chinese embassy said it will keep "close communication" with Indian agencies and provide them necessary assistance, seeking to reassure opinion here that any issues will be resolved.
Government sources here said they will wait to hear from ICMR on whether or not the kits were faulty before they take any decision to pursue the matter with Beijing. The government is treading cautiously on the issue as it remains in the process of acquiring vital medical equipment from China in its fight against Covid-19. As of Wednesday it appeared that the issue may have been more about protocols and designated use.
The ICMR “clarified to top government officials on Tuesday that these kits can show positive reports only after 7 days (time taken by a body to produce detectable antibodies). ICMR officials have also said the rapid tests are new to India and their use and efficacy will be gauged over time.
Top government sources also said ICMR was directly involved in the purchase of the kits.
As WHO says, antibody tests have limited utility and are used for surveillance and tracking trends for the infection. They are not useful for clinical diagnosis because they cannot quickly diagnose acute infection to inform actions needed to determine the treatment required.
“Noticed reports concerning rapid testing kits. #China attaches great importance to the quality of exported medical products. Will keep close communication with #Indian concerned agency and provide necessary assistance, tweeted the Chinese embassy spokesperson.
Some of these test kits, which can apparently help confirm the reach of the virus, have run into problem even in the US though. According to a report in New York Times, US authorities, after having ordered many of those kits from China, have alerted that some of the exportingRead More – Source
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