NEW DELHI: The Indian Council of Medical Research on Monday asked the states to stop using COVID-19 rapid testing kits procured from China due to their poor quality even as the government said not a single rupee will be lost in canceling the orders as payments were not made to the Chinese suppliers.
India procured around five lakh rapid antibody test kits from the two Chinese firms, Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech and Livzon Diagnostics, and they were distributed to several states reporting rising cases of the coronavirus infection.
In a communication to chief secretaries of all states and union territories, the ICMR asked them to stop using the kits saying it found “wide variation” in effectiveness of the equipment supplied by the two Chinese firms despite the promise of good performance.
“The ICMR has not made any payment in respect of these supplies. Because of the due process followed (not going for procurement with 100 percent advance amount), the Government of India does not stand to lose a single rupee,” the health ministry said, in the midst of a raging controversy over the procurement.
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