Faulty Antibody Test Kits Will Be Returned, Asserts Dr. Harsh Vardhan

New Delhi: Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr Harsh Vardhan observed on Friday, that faulty antibody test kits will be returned irrespective of which country they were procured from, including China. Dr Harshvardhan made this assertion during an interaction with Health ministers of various states. The meeting was held through a video conference.

The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare also told state health ministers that the Centre was willing to extend all help to states. He clarified that senior officers were sent to states not as monitors but to support the states in their fight against Coronavirus. These teams have been sent to help different states so that the Centre gets feedback on Coronavirus situation for the way forward, Dr Harsh Vardhan said during his video conference.

Union Minister of State for health and family welfare Ashwini Choubey was also present during the video interaction.

Several states have complained about faulty testing kits, following which the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) asked states to hold off tests for now and that the apex body would review the entire matter.

Among states which found these testing kits supplied by some Chinese companies to be faulty were Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal. The defective condition of the testing kits also led to a war of words between the West Bengal government and the Centre. The Mamata government claimed that faulty testing kits had hampered the process of testing and identifying coronavirus patients in the state.

The overall tally of COVID-19 cases in India went past the 23,000 mark, with 718 deaths being reported from various states. So far 4748 people have been discharged after recovering from the deadly pandemic.