The TNCC on Friday slammed the BJP-led government at the Centre for putting at risk the lives of Indians by importing 'faulty' COVID-19 rapid test kits from China that have found to have malfunctioned in several countries.
Also, the party sought the suspension of their use till the air on their performance is cleared.
Though worldover the Chinese made rapid test kits to examine for coronavirus reportedly failed to perform and the consignment was being returned to China, it was puzzling why the Centre chose to import the kits from China.
"Is the Indian health ministry responsible for this decision or ICMR (Indian Council for Medical Research)? Was the health ministry unable to take independent decisions? Congress state president K S Alagiri asked in a hard-hitting statement here.
He demanded the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clarify to the nation on the issue.
The government of India has placed orders for about 37 lakh rapid anti-body testing kits with companies based out of China and South Korea. Out of these orders, only about seven lakh kits have reached India till date. Most of the consignments till now have come from China and distributed among states including Tamil Nadu where they were found to be faulty.
Two leading Chinese companies had on April 23 expressed shock and surprise at the reported malfunctioning of the rapid testing kits that they supplied to India and claimed the products were approved by ICMR and National Institute of Virology.
(Wondfo received import license from India for Wondfo SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Test (Lateral Flow Method) on March 20, 2020. Livzon Diagnostics Inc., is the other Chinese supplier that also supplied a bulk of the rapid testing kits).
Alagiri pointed out that Chhattisgarh government could import qualitatively good rapid test kits at a low price price from South Korea, which the centre failed to do.
"The rapid test kits imported from South Korea are functioning well and showing accurate results," he said and demanded the constitution of an expert committee to ascertain the performance of the imported kits from China.
"Till the panel clears the air, the state and central governments should suspend the use of the Chinese kits," he added.
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