Rajasthan stops use of rapid test kits over low accuracy

The Rajasthan government has decided to stop the use of rapid test kits from China as they were showing only 5.4 per cent accuracy in testing Covid-19 cases, according to Health Minister Raghu Sharma, on Tuesday.

The kits, used on Covid-19 positive patients, showed them negative too, Sharma added.

The state government has written to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). "We are awaiting the ICMR's feedback. If it asks us to stop testing, we will send these kits back," he said.

Sharma said the Health Department had set up a committee to test these kits' accuracy. It should have been 90 per cent, but, according to the committee, the accuracy was only 5.4 per cent.

"We followed all the ICMR guidelines during testing. But doctors advised that there is no benefit using these kits. Hence, investigation has been stopped with rapid testing kit," he said.

At present, testing is being done by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) kits. The department had ordered purchase of more PCR kits, he added.