Transasia Bio-Medicals Partners with GoI to Deploy Mobile Covid-19 RT- PCR, ELISA Testing
Transasia's mobile lab will strengthen GoI's testing strategy and include testing of healthcare and essential service workers across India
Mumbai/Delhi: Transasia Bio-Medicals, Mumbai based medical device manufacturer, has partnered with GoI, Andhra Pradesh Medical Technology Zone (AMTZ) to launch a mobile COVID-19 test lab. This mobile lab is called Infectious Disease Diagnostic Lab (iLAB), and is a state-of-the-art mobile microbial containment (BSL-2) laboratory. “Considering the urgency, we have been working aggressively even during lock down in getting the iLAB geared up for COVID-19 testing. With this innovative iLAB, we are now ready to commence testing immediately,” said Suresh Vazirani, CMD, Transasia-Erba Group.
Made in collaboration with Bharat Benz and support of Department of Biotechnology (DBT) Government of India, the mobile lab was made in Transasia’s Vizag manufacturing facility at AMTZ, Asia’s first medical device manufacturing park at Vishakhapatnam.
Dr. Harsh Vardhan, WHO Executive Board Chairman and Minister of Health and Family Welfare, GoI
flagged off the mobile lab at New Delhi in the presence of Dr. Alka Sharma, Advisor, and Dr. Renu
Swarup, Secretary, DBT, Ministry of Science and Technology, GoI. “The unique mobile lab vehicle is capable of diagnosing all infectious diseases. To ensure testing facilities in far-flung areas, such innovations have been developed to cater to the interior and inaccessible parts of the country,” conveyed the Health Minister during the launch.
What is inside the mobile lab?
Transasia Bio-Medicals was instrumental in placing all the devices necessary for testing like the Erba IVD analyzers and reagent kits in iLAB along with conducting COVID-19 testing as well as maintaining the mobile
laboratory, as it travels across villages and towns; to help faster and safer testing across India. Transasia will be using ICMR and NIV approved ErbaLisa COVID-19 IgG ELISA kits for testing which comprises both screening and confirmatory tests. This serology test helps identify and isolate infected individuals. It also aids in better understanding how much of the population has been infected and tracking the spread of disease over time. Besides this, a range of immunology analyzers to test these samples and a biochemistry analyzer for evaluating important parameters that should be monitored during infections like COVID-19, such as analytes, electrolytes, proteins, substrates, immuno-turbimetric assays and special chemistries have been installed.
“We take pride in driving this idea from concept to reality, working closely with AMTZ. The iLAB will allow for COVID-19 testing access to thousands of patients in remote areas who would otherwise find it difficult to reach a lab and get a test done. It goes beyond free testing by providing diagnosis at the doorstep of needy patients,” Ravi Kaushik, CEO, Transasia Bio-Medicals added.
How does the mobile lab work?
A dedicated team of lab technologists, application and service engineers will handle the COVID-19 samples and testing process with additional layers of safety and priority in the mobile van. The mobile lab has the capacity to conduct 200 RT-PCR tests and 400 ELISA tests in a day. The lab will function like a typical pathology lab with sample collection, diagnostics, and reporting on the same day. The entire process of collection, testing and issuing of reports will be governed by the guidelines issued by ICMR, GoI and the State Health Department.
The mobile lab has BSL-2 cabinet, cleanroom, latest medical equipment for diagnosis of COVID and other infectious diseases, air conditioning, AHU, supply of reagents and consumables, personal protective equipment needed for the technicians, furniture, internet security, camera and GPS locator.
iLAB consists of PCR workstation, real-time PCR machine, incubator, deep freezer and refrigerator for testing samples and storing reagents with provision for treatment of liquid effluents, safe storage of solid bio-hazard wastes and decontamination by autoclaving. The lab has a provision for storing and donning PPEs; storage of used aprons; and emergency body shower and eye wash.
The lab is capable of traveling at a speed of 50 to 100 kmph and can travel large distances for sample collection, analysis, and giving results. The iLAB container can also be lifted from the automotive chassis and can be put on the goods train and can be sent anywhere in the country, with the help of railways.
