Srinagar: The Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar has asked the health ministry and the Indian Council of Medical Research to send kits for testing people suspected of having the novel coronavirus. The GMC has said that the kits are “urgently needed” to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.
According to officials, GMC Srinagar and its allied Chest Diseases Hospital can easily be turned into coronavirus testing centers as they have the requisite infrastructure and safety features in place.
“Virology labs are already functional at the college’s microbiology department and at Chest Diseases Hospital. We just need test kits to carry out the tests, which is why we sent the requisition to ICMR and the health ministry,” Dr Samia Rashid, Principal GMC Srinagar, told Kashmir Reader.
“We are expecting to receive the test kits in a day or two. It will expedite the testing process and decrease the burden on central labs,” she said.
GMC Srinagar is already running a Viral Research & Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDL) lab in its microbiology department where people are being tested for many viruses including H1N1. Similarly, CD hospital has been designated by ICMR for testing H1N1 cases.
The principal said that both the labs have been designed under Biosafety level 3 protections and have all the necessary equipment.
“We are keen to turn them into coronavirus testing centers with the help of ICMR and health ministry,” she said.
Earlier, the ICMR designated Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Srinagar and Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu as testing centres as part of its network of laboratories across India.
The Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) at SKIMS is being equipped with reagents and other materials to facilitate testing for coronavirus in Kashmir division.

Reader correspondent