PRINCE KUMAR
Ranchi, Jan 4: The most awaited genome sequencing machine is ordered and set to arrive at RIMS within 40 to 45 days. The machine has been in the offing for a long time but was delayed due to bureaucratic hurdles.
According to RIMS officials, the cases of Covid-19 will be in peak within 15 days in Jharkhand and in the absence of a genome sequencing machine providing medications to the patients depending on the strain of the virus will become a challenge for the doctors.
Head of Microbiologist department of RIMS, Dr Manoj said, “The machine will arrive at a time when the third wave will be at its peak in Jharkhand. In Ranchi itself, several cases are detected on a daily basis where only an average of 30000 tests are being done on a daily basis.”
“The machine will arrive in 40-45 days but a lab and trained human resource is required for the machine to be active. The setting up of the lab and getting trained human resources will further take 15 odd days,” Dr Manoj said.
“I can say that for the machine to be fully functional it may take 60 days from now and moreover the machine takes 15 days for detecting the strain of the virus,” he further added.
Notably, the genome sequencing machine is being purchased from an America-based company named ‘Ilumina’. The company has assured RIMS that the machine will arrive within a span of 40-45 days.
At present all the samples of the suspected Omicron cases are being sent for genome sequencing to the Institute of life sciences (ILS), Bhubaneshwar.
Currently, the state has eight RT-PCR testing labs apart from TruNat Machines in all 24 districts along with Rapid Antigen Test kits. The government has also purchased two COBAS 6800 machines, a fully automated high-end machine to perform RT-PCR tests on bulk samples. The machine can test 1200 samples in 24 hours and the government is planning to launch the machines within a few months.
