Maharashtra got 12.50 lakh faulty RT-PCR kits from private firm: Health Minister Tope

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Tuesday said the state received 12.50 lakh sub-standard RT-PCR coronavirus testing kits from GCC Biotech Ltd and maintained the private firm will face legal action.

Speaking to reporters in his hometown Jalna, Tope said the Pune-based National Institute of Virology (NIV), a unit of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), had found that the quality of these kits was "not up to the mark".

"The state received 12.50 lakh sub-standard RT-PCR kits used for COVID-19 determination. The supplier company is GCC Biotech Ltd.

"The National Institute of Virology submitted a report saying the quality of these kits were not up to the mark and that they were sub-standard," Tope said.

"The state has ordered laboratories to suspend usage of these kits till further orders. It is necessary to blacklist the company, which will face legal action as well," he added.

Tope said the positivity rate was low during testing by the GCC Biotech-supplied kits, after which a committee comprising NIV scientists was formed to look into the issue, the minister said.

He said NIV kits would be used in the meantime so that the number of daily tests is not affected.

The RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction) test is considered more reliable than the rapid antigen diagnostic test in detection of coronavirus.

RT-PCR tests require processing with specialty lab equipment and chemicals. 

Image credits: Twitter