The MGM Medical College in Dimna here will help the new viral research diagnostics unit at PMCH in Dhanbad as the state gears up for its third testing facility for suspected Covid-19 samples by early next week.

As of now, there are two RT-PCR machines at MGM Medical College in Jamshedpur and another two at RIMS in Ranchi which are the only two ICMR-certified Covid-19 samples testing centres in Jharkhand.

Principal secretary of the state health department Nitin Madan Kulkarni told The Telegraph that they would send a test graph of two real-time Reverse Transcriptase (RT)- Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machines at PMCH, Dhanbad, to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the apex body under the health ministry for medical research, which is the last step for the PMCH to get a nod to start testing Covid-19 samples.

“We have completed all necessary formalities suggested by the ICMR before starting the testing facility at PMCH in Dhanbad,” Kulkarni said.

“The ICMR has sought a test graph of the VRDL (Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories) at the PMCH and we will send it on Wednesday or Thursday. We hope to get the nod (for testing Covid-19 cases) this week. We have also started a temporary arrangement in which expert hands from the MGM Medical College in Jamshedpur will train those in Dhanbad on testing and other issues,” Kulkarni said.

Both the state-owned healthcare institutions have already made arrangements for the training sessions.

“We will be sending two of our VRDL staffs, a faculty member and a lab technician, to MGM in Jamshedpur for three days of training on testing of the Covid-19 samples. MGM, in turn, is also sending one of its lab technician deputed in its VRDL to train our people. We are ready and hope to start testing with our two new RT-PCR units from next week,” said PMCH principal Dr Shailendra Kumar.

The PMCH principal further added that each of their RT-PCR unit had the capacity of testing 12 samples a day. “It practically means we can test 24 samples daily,” said Dr Kumar.

Each machine has a capacity to test 42 samples a day, so in all probability both MGM and RIMS, if they use two RT-PCR units, can each check 84 samples daily.

However, with the surge in the number of samples collected in the last few days, the list of samples awaiting test results is growing longer.

On Wednesday, tests of 212 samples were in progress.

Kulkarni also said that the ICMR had rejected the state’s request to permit the TB Sanatorium in Itki near Ranchi and Tata Main Hospital in Jamshedpur test Covid-19 samples.

“They (ICMR) have denied us permission to start Covid-19 sample testing at the TB Sanatorium and Tata Main Hospital. We have to make do with the three testing centres in Jharkhand,” said Kulkarni.

State health minister Banna Gupta last month had told mediapersons that the government was keen to start testing centres for Covid-19 at the PMCH in Dhanbad, the TB Sanatorium in Itki and the corporate-run Tata Main Hospital in Jamshedpur.