State’s lone genome sequencing facility at medical college sans kits

Ravneet Singh

Patiala, December 29

While the Covid threat is again looming large, the state’s only genome sequencing lab at Government Medical College in Patiala lacks testing kits to test samples. Though the office had demanded the kits from the state nodal office over six months ago, it is yet to get the same.

A week ago, the state Health Department had directed all hospitals to send Covid positive samples to the genome sequencing labs to detect the presence of the latest BF.7 variant.

Epidemiologists in the region had alerted the general public to adhere to the directions of the Health Department in view of the virus.

A doctor said, “It is important to detect the presence of the new variant of Covid to keep its spread in check. But the state’s only genome sequencing lab in Patiala lacks testing kits for the purpose.”

Dr Rupinder Kaur, facility in-charge at the hospital said, “We have sent demands for genome testing kits to the department.”

Dr Rajesh Bhaskar, state nodal in-charge said, “We have placed the order for the testing kits. We will receive them in a week.”

He further said the department is in process of setting up two more labs. He said, “The new labs are coming up in Amritsar and Faridkot. They are expected to come up in January.”

2 new labs in jan

The state nodal office is in process of setting up two more genome sequencing labs at Amritsar and Faridkot. The labs are expected to come up in January.