Gonoshasthaya Kit: BSMMU delays trial results

Authorities of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University will not submit this week the performance trial result of home-grown Covid-19 testing kit developed by Gonoshasthaya Kendra.

"We earlier said we would submit the trial result this week. But we have to delay it as some technical problems developed. Hopefully, we would be able to submit it the next week," Prof Kanak Kanti Barua, vice-chancellor of BSMMU, told The Daily Star yesterday afternoon.

"We have already solved the issues."

He, however, did not clarify what sort of technical issues they had.

Earlier, Prof Kanak told the media that they would submit the trial result to the Directorate General of Drug Administration by today.

DGDA Director General Maj Gen Mahbubur Rahman also recently said he would not delay approving the kits if those are proved effective in BSMMU trial.

Prof Mohib Ullah Khondoker, vice-principal of Gonoshasthaya Kendra Medical College Hospital, said, "We have submitted the kits for trial. Now, it is their kindness [to finish the trial early]."

On April 26, Gonoshasthaya approached the Directorate General of Drug Administration for validation of their kits, but was asked to go through contract research organisations.

Gonoshasthaya, however, refused to do so, saying that contract research organisations were a vehicle of corruption as well as they raise the kit price.

On April 30, the DGDA permitted Gonoshasthaya Kendra to have their kits independently validated by the BSMMU.

The BSMMU on May 2 formed a committee headed by virology professor Shahina Tabassum.

RT-PCR, which is widely considered the best coronavirus testing method, is being used in Bangladesh. But it is expensive and time-consuming.

On the other hand, a rapid test is a low-cost alternative that takes about 15 minutes.

Many countries are using these tests.

In this context, experts also suggested initiating rapid testing across the country to deal with the pressure of patients.