Chinese test kit orders

AMID allegations of a scam, the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) has cancelled the order for rapid antibody kits imported from China for Covid-19 monitoring. The charge of profiteering was levelled by the Congress that said the Indian importer and distributor of the kits had been selling them at a higher price amid the pandemic that has brought the country to a standstill and affected people badly. Rajasthan and West Bengal had earlier flagged inaccuracies and the other states too have now been asked to return the kits. The ICMR, however, clarified that the government has not lost any money as no advance was made to the bidder.

The test kits from China need more field trials because of the variations in results and the use of the earlier RT-PCR kits that rely on nasal and throat swabs has been advocated amid reports of a shortage delaying testing by labs. That attempts were made to place the order with a Chinese company, Wondfo, through India’s consul general points to the circumstances in which India tried to import them with countries competing to procure the wherewithal to deal with the virus. There is no denying that testing is essential to contain the spread of the disease and to put life back on the rails, but care has to be taken against fallacious results. There can be a wrong diagnosis for lack of accuracy. Also, while it is proper to designate areas as hotspots and containment zones, the tests should be carried out only by trained staff. That the request for a review also came from Rajasthan that had showcased its Bhilwara model points to the potential for correction.

The pandemic is basically a health issue and transparency will help in maintaining the cohesiveness of the social fabric. With more symptoms being added to the existing ones for the virus, it is time for a reality check. However, the cancellation of the order should be seen as a corrective measure, an attempt to boost indigenous capability, and not a punitive measure in a world that calls for cooperative rivalry.

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