Gonoshasthaya Kendra gives 200 rapid testing kits to BSMMU

Gonoshasthaya Kendra this morning gave Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) 200 locally developed rapid testing kits for validation.

Dr Bijon Kumar Sil, the lead researcher of Gonoshasthaya Pharmaceuticals, and Dr Mohibullah Khandakar, vice-principle of Gonoshasthaya Samaj Vittik Medical College, submitted the kits to BSMMU around 11am, said Gonoshasthaya Kendra Founder and Trustee Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury.

Gonoshasthaya Kendra also gave BSMMU Tk 4,35,000 as testing expenditure.

BSMMU asked for the kits and money through a letter to Gonoshasthaya yesterday afternoon, Dr Zafrullah said.

"We deposited the money to the bank this morning and then delivered the kits to BSMMU," he added.

"We hope they will start testing the kits soon," he also said.

BSMMU will conduct tests for Covid-19 on both positive and persons whose coronavirus status is unknown to understand the accuracy level of the rapid test kit -- Rapid Dot Blot -- developed by Gonoshasthaya Kendra scientists. The tests will also be compared with those of RT-PCR kits.

RT-PCR, which is considered gold standard for testing Covid-19, is costly but rapid test kit is inexpensive and can give result in 5-10 minutes. They are being used by many countries for large-scale testing.