IMPHAL, June 6 - The Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD) on Friday handed over one Real Time (RT) PCR equipment to Mizoram to facilitate COVID-19 tests at the Zoram Medical College in Aizawl.
The IBSD is a national institute operating under the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, which is located near Imphal.
According to a press release, the testing equipment, along with other consumables, were flown to the Mizoram capital from here in a helicopter arranged by the Mizoram Government. The consignment was handed over to the Department of Science and Technology, Mizoram Government, by scientists and staff of the Aizawl centre of the IBSD.
RT-PCR constitutes accurate laboratory methods for detecting, tracking and studying the novel coronavirus. The equipment, along with the consumable items, have been lent to Mizoram at the request of the Government of Mizoram and the Zoram Medical College.
The IBSD, under the guidance of its Director, Prof Pulok Kumar Mukherjee, is supporting COVID-19 testing facilities in the two premier medical institutes, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) and Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) in Manipur.
The IBSD, Imphal, has also lent one RT PCR and RNA extraction equipment to the RIMS, Imphal to reduce the testing load at its testing centre, in the first week of May.
Earlier, at the request of the JNIMS authorities, an RT PCR instrument, along with consumables, were provided by the IBSD to supplement the existing functioning of the VRDL, Microbiology Department of JNIMS.
The IBSD was established in 2001. It has centres at Shillong, Gangtok and Aizawl.
