31st March 2020: The country has been exploring every step in their capacity to combat and contain the rapid spread of COVID -19. While it has set a good example in terms of dealing with crisis at initial stage itself, To fight the pandemic, several medtech companies have come forward and developed solutions, which can help in identifying the disease and take preventive measures on time to cure it.
These companies are using a range of technologies in their fight against the pandemic. Here is a list of some of the medtech platforms and solution being deployed in India to curb the virus :
Corona Kavach tracking app
The Government has launched a coronavirus risk-tracking app called ‘Corona Kavach.’ Jointly developed by the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the app uses a person’s location to assess whether they are in the high risk geographical zone or not. The app is now available for download — in beta — for Android phones on the Google Play Store. Corona Kavach is designed to provide information about COVID-19 and capture information. It will track the data of the users every one hour to alert them of whether they have crossed paths with any person who has tested positive for the infection.
Bione Microbiome Test
Bione has developed a COVID-19 focussed Microbiome test, which combined with its AI, predictive analysis tools can provide tailored recommendations to individuals to strengthen their particular microbiome and thus be more immune to Coronavirus and be able to fight off COVID-19. Bione is working towards boosting preventive healthcare and increasing life expectancy in India. With the vision of leapfrogging genetic testing and microbiome services in India, they have founded Bione Ventures which envisions to empower people to unlock their health and fitness through personalised genetics and microbiome. The genetic programme uncovers the disease predispositions and microbiome, and decode the secret to a healthy gut. It also leads to a healthy family genomic journey with Bione.
Abbott Laboratories Molecular point-of-care test
Abbott Laboratories on Friday announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued the Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) for the fastest available “molecular point-of-care” test to check for Covid-19.The test can detect positive results in five minutes, while negative results take about 13 minutes. It will run on Abbott’s ID Now platform, which is small, lightweight and portable. It employs molecular technology, which is highly valued by the scientific community for its accuracy. Apart from quick test results, a selling point of the ID NOW platform is that it can be used in urgent care clinics, not just traditional hospitals.
INNACCEL
InnAccel’s VAPCare is the world’s first, and only, automated, intelligent, and completely closed system for removing highly infectious oral secretions in ventilated Covid patients. Today nurses and healthcare workers manually suction out these secretions, exposing them to the deadly virus. VAPCare replaces this risky manual process with a completely automatic and safe removal of secretions, and minimize the nurses’ exposure to these fluids. By automating this manual step, VAPCare also saves nursing time, especially important in times of surge demand, and can also protect the patient from secondary infections. VAPCare is US FDA approved, and is being used in leading hospitals in India.
Mylab Discovery Coronavirus testing kit
Mylab Discovery, in the western city of Pune, became the first Indian firm to get full approval to make and sell testing kits. It shipped the first batch of 150 to diagnostic labs in Pune, Mumbai, Delhi, Goa and Bengaluru (Bangalore) this week. The molecular diagnostic company, which also makes testing kits for HIV and Hepatitis B and C, and other diseases, says it can supply up to 100,000 Covid-19 testing kits a week and can produce up to 200,000 if needed.
Whatsapp Chatbot for Coronavirus
India is turning to WhatsApp, to create awareness about the coronavirus pandemic and has urged social media services to tackle the spread of misinformation on their platforms. Narendra Modi, India’s Prime Minister, said on Saturday that citizens in the country can text a WhatsApp bot — called MyGov Corona Helpdesk — to get instant authoritative answers to their coronavirus queries such as the symptoms of the viral disease and how they could seek help.
