ICMR asks medical colleges to establish testing facilities amid surge in COVID-19 cases

Amid the Coronavirus crisis, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Wednesday invited applications from all government and private medical colleges for establishing Coronavirus testing facilities. According to reports, the applications are invited to strengthen the COVID-19 testing capacity of the country. 

Key requirements for applicants

According to the ICMR, the private medical colleges are required to submit a copy of the NABL accreditation certificate and scope of accreditation for real-time PCR for RNA viruses. Along with it, the colleges should have the availability of a BSL-2 level laboratory facility along with molecular biology setup for virological diagnosis and functioning and calibrated Biosafety cabinet type 2A/2B in the laboratory. Reportedly, it is necessary to have a functioning and calibrated real-time PCR machine. 

Further, according to reports, the medical microbiologists and technicians should have experience of work in virology and handling clinical specimens, especially respiratory samples. They should also be trained for handling the respiratory samples for viral diagnosis, RNA extraction, and real-time PCR.

Read: Telangana government orders demarcation of graveyards for COVID-19 deceased 

The Coronavirus crisis

According to the latest update of the Health Ministry, about 5,274 cases of COVID-19 infection have been reported in the country including 4,714 active cases. While 149 deaths have been reported overall, around 411 people have been cured. Currently, the highest number of cases have been reported from Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. In a bid to tackle the growing crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 had announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown to check the spread of Coronavirus, stating that "social distancing" is the only way to contain the disease which is spreading rapidly across the world. 

Read: Kerala CM slams media report about Irani feeding Amethi labourers stuck in Wayanad

Meanwhile, PM Modi has also established a dedicated national fund called  ‘Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund’ (PM CARES Fund) with the primary objective of dealing with any kind of emergency or distress situation — like posed by the COVID-19 pandemic — and to provide relief to the affected. 

Read: 'Decision on lockdown after discussion with PM Modi on April 11': Goa CM Sawant

Read: COVID-19: Uttarakhand Ministers and MLAs decide to take 30% pay cut to combat virus crisis

(With ANI Inputs)