Tirupati: TB machines for Covid testing

Tirupati: The surge in number of COVID-19 cases in the country has been forcing to find alternative methods for diagnosing the virus. In the process, many available options are being considered seriously by the government. After having carried out some trials across the country, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has approved Truenat machines for conducting screening tests to Covid-19. These machines are primarily used for testing Tuberculosis disease.

Use of closed Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) systems like GeneXpert and Roche Cobas - 6800/800 have been approved under emergency use," ICMR stated while approving the use of blood based Rapid Test kits through Truenat machines.

These machines are widely used for TB screening tests and are available in every part of the country.

A doctor said, "240 Truenat machines are available in the state, in which 20 are in Chittoor district only. After initial trials with these machines, it was found that the results are accurate and those samples tested negative through these machines also got the same results in RT-PCR. So was the case with positive samples." Chittoor District TB Control Officer Dr B Ramesh Babu told The Hans India that these machines were found effective in conducting screening tests.

Training was already provided to lab technicians on these machines though it involves the same procedure except change of chemicals. The idea was to keep them at Area hospitals in the district – Chittoor, Madanapalle, Srikalahasti, Palamaneru, Puttur, Nagari and Kuppam, he added.

As many as 20 tests can be done on a Truenat machine per day. If any sample is tested positive for Covid-19, it would be sent to the VRD lab at SVIMS for confirmation and that patient would be shifted to Tirupati. If the report was negative, the patient would be advised accordingly and be kept in quarantine.

These will be helpful to conduct tests for the people who were in close contact with positive cases and persons above 65 years of age. With this, the load on the VRD lab can be reduced and more samples can be tested daily. After getting the required cartridges and kits, tests would be started, Dr Ramesh Babu said.