New Delhi: The National Institute of Biologicals (NIB), NOIDA, is the first centre in India to commence testing for COVID-19 from 4th April 2020 on cobas 6800 instrument- a high throughput diagnostic system with a quick turnaround rate. It can perform about 1000 tests per day.

NIB has developed a COVID- 19 Testing BSL-2 Laboratory under negative pressure as per the requirement of M/s Roche Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in view of safety to the personnel and the environment. The challenge of developing the Laboratory during lockdown period was completed in a duration of 4 days.

Under the dynamic leadership of Dr. Reba Chhabra, Director In-charge, NIB, 5 scientific teams are conducting COVID-19 tests. Also other teams are assisting in the different types of works round the clock on the suspected patient samples being received from various locations including hospitals, quarantine centres of UP, MP and Delhi NCR so that samples can be reported timely.

The results of these tested samples are submitted by NIB to Dr. Anup Anvikar, National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR), ICMR for its onward reporting.

NIB stands in solidarity in our country’s common fight against COVID-19 and is always dedicated for the cause of public safety of its countrymen.