The promoters of the budget flier SpiceJet on Monday launched a mobile Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) lab to conduct tests for COVID-19.
SpiceHealth, a healthcare company founded by SpiceJet’s promoters, announced that their RT-PCR tests would cost Rs. 499 and generate results within six hours.
The mobile lab was inaugurated by Union Minister Amit Shah on Monday in Delhi.
SpiceHealth aims to scale up COVID-19 testing in India
Speaking at the launch, SpiceHealth CEO Avani Singh said that India has found it challenging to scale up testing, despite being the world’s second-most affected in the COVID-19 pandemic with over nine million infections.
Singh said the company hopes to scale up testing by offering RT-PCR tests through mobile laboratories at a “fraction of the current price” with a faster turnaround time.
Lab can process 3,000 test reports daily
SpiceHealth has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to establish testing facilities and collection centers across the nation as a Make-In-India initiative.
Each laboratory will initially have the capacity to process 3,000 test reports daily.
The company said a significant proportion of the tests will be conducted in collaboration with agencies of the central and state governments.
Tests to deliver results within six hours
SpiceHealth said the test would generate results within six hours and would cost Rs. 499.
A government-appointed committee had fixed the rate in other laboratories at Rs. 2,400 in Delhi and a report would normally be available in 24-48 hours.
The testing kits are ICMR-certified, while the mobile labs have been accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).
