The Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) has formed a panel to conduct the performance trial of the Covid-19 rapid testing kits developed by Gonoshasthaya Kendra.
A six-strong committed led by former Virology Department chief Shahina Tabassum was formed on Saturday, BSMMU Vice-Chancellor Kanak Kanti Barua told the UNB.
The panel was formed after a meeting with representatives of the Gonoshasthaya Kendra, he said.
It will start working after further discussions with the developers on Sunday, added Barua.
Speaking to the news agency, Gonoshasthaya founder Zafrullah Chowdhury urged the BSMMU to complete its trial by a week.
He added that the European Union has showed interest in importing their kits.
On Thursday, Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) gave Gonoshasthaya the permission to get its Covid-19 rapid testing kits tested.
The DGDA informed Gonoshasthaya that the performance study of the kits could be done either at the BSMMU or IEDCR.
On April 25, Gonoshasthaya Kendra authorities handed over their testing kits to the BSMMU and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the final approval.
Gonoshasthaya Kendra has developed the “easy, effective and cheap” method to test coronavirus or Covid-19.
Gonoshasthaya-RNA Biotech Limited, a sister concern of Gonoshasthaya, with the help of experts from Singapore developed the method named ‘Gonoshasthaya Rapid Dot Blot.’
On March 17, Gonoshasthaya Kendra declared that they had developed a testing kit that can examine samples to detect Covid-19 within 15 minutes.