Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 27
After putting on hold the use of rapid antibody kits imported from China for Covid-19 surveillance across states, the ICMR today cancelled the order citing quality concerns. It also asked states to return the kits for further return to suppliers.
ICMR's statement on cancellation of the procurement order for five lakh antibody test kits imported from Chinese firm Wondfo through an Indian importer and distributor came this evening after the Congress alleged a scam in the matter and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to order a probe besides making all Covid medical equipment procurement public.
After Congress alleged profiteering by the Indian importer of the kits and the distributor, terming exploitation during the pandemic an insult to the people, the ICMR said the government had not lost any money as no advance had been paid to Rare Metabolics, the Indian bidder that bagged the rapid kit supply contract.
The ICMR cancelled the order today after its chief Balram Bhargava had a meeting with PM Modi. Later, the council wrote to all states to only use RT-PCR kits to detect virus. "The ICMR has again conducted quality checks on these kits in field conditions. Based on scientific assessment of their performance, the order of Wondfo along with another make found underperforming has been cancelled," it said.
The ICMR also acknowledged its first attempt at procuring kits directly from Chinese firms had failed.
Earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the country would not pardon profiteers in Covid times. "...This scam is an insult to every Indian. I urge the PM to act swiftly to bring the corrupt to justice," he said.
Not a single rupee lost
ICMR said it had not paid advance to Rare Metabolics for 2.76L kits received so far, so govt didn’t lose a single rupee in the process
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