PM Modi introduces ‘high throughput’ testing facilities in Noida, Mumbai and Kolkata

Prime Minister Modi said the labs would not only be restricted to Covid-19 testing but would be expanded for testing of other diseases like Hepatitis B & C, HIV, and Dengue in the future.

“Today, there are more than 11,000 COVID-19 facilities and more than 11 lakh isolation beds in the country. We also have nearly 1,300 testing labs in the country and more than 5 lakh tests are being conducted daily,” Modi said during the launch.

The virtual launch event was attended by Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and the chief ministers of Maharashtra, West Bengal and Uttar



Pradesh — Uddhav Thackeray, Mamata Banerjee and Yogi Adityanath respectively.

“Due to right decisions taken at right time, India is in much better position than other countries in fight. The new testing facilities will give West Bengal, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh more strength to fight Covid-19,” PM Modi further said.

The three high throughput testing facilities have been set up strategically at ICMR institutions — National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research in Noida, National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health in Mumbai and National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases in Kolkata.

These will be able to test over 10,000 samples in a day, a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office earlier said. These labs will also reduce turnaround time and exposure of lab personnel to infectious clinical materials.