Since the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, WHO, among other things has been deliberating incessantly that to reach at least the fighting levels in this seemingly insurmountable battle, tests are essential. There had been talks that India isn’t doing enough testing. This claim hasn’t been refuted and it’s a fact that since test kits are not produced in-house, serious shortcomings in terms of testing are perceptible. And after wastage of a precious stretch of time, now when the first imported shipment finally landed, to the utter dismay of all, it has been ‘discovered’ to be substandard and unfit for use. This has raised eyebrows, triggering talks that at this critical time, this setback might prove costly in the overall national efforts to contain the pandemic.

The matter came to light on Monday when the country’s apex medical research body, ICMR disclosed that rapid antibody test kits it procured from two Chinese firms have failed quality tests and promptly asked the states/UTs who have just started using them to stop making further applications. Coming to figures as shared by ICMR, 2.74 lakh units had arrived, already distributed and remaining 2.24 lakh to arrive by weekend. But the matter certainly doesn’t end here riding on the general belief that it’s just one more case of Chinese products proving unreliable, since the entire episode has also exposed how the habit of insatiable profiteering by some individual importers has remained unchecked even at this time of dire straits. It’s now public that per unit ‘landed price’ of these kits which was Rs 245 had been sold to the ICMR at Rs 600! If these ‘profiteering facts’ are not quite unknown and has been relearnt in a hard way once more, the entire mechanism of procurement of items of extreme national importance has also come under critical scanner and questions are legitimately raised regarding rationality of sticking to the ‘perennial prescription’ of only accepting the lowest bid, even if it comes at hefty quality compromise. As a face-saving exercise, it’s being reiterated that central government hasn’t lost a paisa as payments are yet to be made. But how about the invaluable time lost which will be too painful to make good?

The target of 1 lakh tests per day has been mooted since the outbreak which is so very important if India is to fight the pandemic in a comprehensive manner and rapid antibody test is the only available channel for it since it takes less than 30 min vis-à-vis the swab test that takes much more time.

But this setback, unfortunately, has come during a very critical juncture. Overcoming it will take time, thereby making the fightback efforts far from a desirably streamlined one. 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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