Islamabad: Fawad Chaudhry, Federal Minister for Science and Technology has assured public that around 150,000 locally manufactured coronavirus testing kits will be available in coming weeks.
Speaking to press after his visit to National University of Science and Technology (NUST), federal minister announced that a team of engineers at NUST has developed coronavirus testing kits which have been sent to Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) for approval.
“We will be able to use these testing kits soon after approval from DRAP,” he noted.
Fawad Chaudhry further stated that Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) had received 48 designs for ventilators and out of which the engineering council has forwarded two designs to DRAP for approval.
“The locally-produced ventilators will also be available in the market by a month,” he said.
Fawad Chaudhry, on various occasions has been highlighting the significance of locally manufactured medical equipment in the fight against coronavirus.
Earlier he tweeted, “Two initiatives of the Ministry of Science and Technology are in final stages of approval 1) Corona Testing Kits (NUST) 2) Ventilators (PEC) this will immensely bring down costs of war against coronavirus. We have enhanced capacity of PCSIR production of hand sanitizers and health departments and banks are facilitating.”
Healthcare workers in the country have been struggling to tackle coronavirus outbreak as they face an acute shortage of essential medical equipment with the national tally of confirmed coronavirus reaching 2,441 with 35 deaths so far.
