BENGALURU: Duke University based in North Carolina, Unites State of America has received approval from Karnataka's Health and Family Welfare Department to conduct randomised COVID-19 testing of samples in the state using RT-PCR kits. This will be done by Mr. Manoj Mohnan, Associate Professor of Public Policy, Economics and Global Health, Sanford School of Public Policy in Duke University with the help of two Indian institutes.
A letter written by Jawaid Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary of the Health Department to Pankaj Pandey, Commissioner of Health reads, "Mr. Manoj Mohanan sought permission to conduct randomized community testing using RT-PCR tests for rapid data collection, which will help identify hotspots of potential transmission in the areas and enable estimation of the epidemic in the state of Karnataka, with the support of Centre for Monitory Indian Economy (CMIE) and Indian Institute of Science," an excerpt of the letter reads.
"This is to inform that permission is being granted to Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University to conduct the random community testing in Karnataka, subject to the supervision of state surveillance unit, IDSP, Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services. The testing would be subject to the condition that ICMR kits and protocols are followed during the testing," it added
"The random testing will be undertaken with the help of IDFC foundation. The pilot is funded by ACT Funds, and will cover random testing of around 2000 samples across Karnataka. It is in the proposal stage," said Pankaj Kumar Pandey.
So far random testing in the state is being done in the state in Padarayanapura and Hongasandra in Bengaluru.
"In Bengaluru, more than 200 random tests have been conducted in Padaryanapura containment zone. in green districts, random samples are being drawn from Influenza Like Illness cases. Nearly 500 ILI samples are being drawn on a daily basis and tested through RT-PCR method," Pandey said, further adding," A pilot project with the help of Tata group at no cost to the government has been taken up in Kolar district to do random testing using ICMR approved rapid antibody, RT-PCR and ELISA tests. Around 1000 random samples will be drawn."
ICMR will also being doing a national serosurey in Bengaluru, Chitradurga and Kalaburagi districts, wherein 400 samples will be collected in each district. This survey is being done in 69 districts across 29 states in India.