MGR university to get genome lab

MGR university to get genome lab

To Track Virus Causing Covid-19

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:30.06.2021 

Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University, which has a nationally accredited microbiology and immunology lab, will soon get a whole genome sequencing lab, said health minister Ma Subramanian on Tuesday. The lab, which will soon be functional, will track mutation of SARSCoV-2, the virus causing Covid-19, he said.

After a review meeting with the senior officials including the vice-chancellor Dr Sudha Seshayyan, the minister said the university has accredited labs for diagnosis and research on diseases such as chikungunya, dengue and leptospirosis and has been carrying out RT-PCR tests for Covid-19. “It has now been decided that this university will soon have a whole genome sequencing facility,” he told reporters. University officials told the health department that they had all the necessary equipment and would be able to start work if they were provided with consumables.

Scientists predict that new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 may increase chances of infection and make treatment and prevention more complex. As the virus multiplies, tiny changes or mutations accumulate in the genetic code. The Directorate of Public Health had proposed to set up a whole genome sequencing lab to keep a close track of the mutations.

Tamil Nadu sends samples to the Bengaluru-based Instem as per recommendations of the Centre. Instem is a part of INSACOG (a consortium of labs that track the presence of variants in Covid samples). The state categorised samples from across the state in categories – family clusters, community clusters, Covid in children, young adults with severe lung infection, breakthrough infections (infected 14 days after two vaccinations), samples from deceased and travellers. "These categories will give us more information about what kind of variants are seen in each of these categories. But having a lab of our own will give us better advantages,” he said.

Variants of concern The state had sent 1,159 samples to Instem. The lab results of 1,100 of the samples with 814 (74%) testing positive for Delta and four testing positive for Delta plus variants. The remaining samples contained other variants including Alpha and Beta.

The National Institute of Virology, Pune, which tested samples sent by National Institute of Epidemiology found six more samples positive for the delta plus. “At least five people in Chennai, three in Tiruvallur, one each in Kancheepuram and Madurai carried the Delta plus strain. While all of them had recovered, the 34-year-old patient from Madurai died,” said health secretary J Radhakrishnan. “Scientists told us that most people carried the Delta variant in the second wave,” he said.

Scientists predict that new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 may increase chances of infection and make treatment and prevention more complex

HC asks TN if it took SC nod while appointing NEET panel

HC asks TN if it took SC nod while appointing NEET panel

Admissions Must Be Based Only On NEET: SC In 2017

Sureshkumar.K@timesgroup.com

Chennai:30.06.2021

The Madras high court on Tuesday questioned the Tamil Nadu government over its decision to set up a committee to look into the impact of NEET on medical admissions, asking it whether it had obtained the permission of the Supreme Court and whether the move would not violate the apex court ruling.

When Tamil Nadu advocategeneral R Shunmugasundaram, responding to a PIL against the Justice A K Rajan Commission, said it was a policy decision backed by the demand of people and election promise of the ruling party, the first bench remarked: “May be. But if it is contrary to the Supreme Court order, then it cannot be permitted.”

The bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy later adjourned the hearing to July 5 with a direction to the state to file its response. It will also be open to the Union government to indicate its stand, the judges added. The PIL was filed by BJP’s Tamil Nadu secretary K Nagarajan, who wanted the court to quash the June 10 order constituting a committee headed by Justice Rajan to study the impact of NEET on socially backward students.

Setting up of NEET panel is an exercise in futility: Advocate

Advocate V Ragavachari, representing the petitioner, submitted that the setting up of the committee was an exercise in futility since any recommendation that such committee might make could not be implemented in the light of the view taken by the Supreme Court on NEET. Citing the Supreme Court order on NEET dated August 22, 2017, Raghvachari said the apex court had recorded in the judgement that ‘Tamil Nadu shall not make any kind of distinction or discrimination between the examinations conducted by various boards; and admissions shall be effected as per the result of the NEET examination.’ Therefore, there can be little room for the state to set up any committee for the purpose of ascertaining whether the NEET based admission process has prejudicially affected socially backward students, he added. “Tamil Nadu government ought to have noted that NEET is introduced in national interest, and any attempt to alter the same would derail the object and purpose of introduction of NEET,” the petitioner said.

TN government ought to have noted that NEET is introduced in national interest, and any attempt to alter the same would derail the purpose of introduction of NEET, the petitioner said

Govt sets max monthly limit for vax stock in pvt hospitals

Govt sets max monthly limit for vax stock in pvt hospitals

Ceiling Linked To Daily Use; No Direct Purchase

Sumitra DebRoy@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:30.06.2021

Private hospitals have to place orders for vaccines on CoWin and cannot directly procure it from manufacturers, July 1 onwards. The Centre has also devised a formula to decide the ‘maximum monthly limit’ of stocks that a private vaccination centre can purchase to ensure a level-playing field.

According to an SOP document circulated among Mumbai hospitals on Tuesday, the maximum vaccine stock a private hospital can procure is double their average daily consumption for a particular week in the previous month. Hospitals can pick a week of their choice to derive the daily average and place orders. The details will be taken from the CoWin site.

For instance, if a private vaccination centre submits the order for July by selecting the June 10-16 week when 630 doses were administered, then daily average doses would be 90 (630/7 = 90). The hospital, therefore, can place a maximum order of 5,400 doses for July (90 x 30 x 2 = 5,400). The document says maximum limit for a month can be revised in the second half, based on consumption during the first 15 days.

For hospitals that plan to join the vaccination drive now and do not have a prior consumption record, maximum limit will be worked out based on number of hospital beds available. A 50-bed hospital can order a maximum of 3,000 doses, a 50-300 bed hospital can order up to 6,000 doses and a hospital with more than 300 beds can order up to 10,000 doses.

The SOP document says private vaccination centres can place orders in four instalments in a month.

“There will be no need for approval by any government authority. Successful submission of the procurement order on CoWIN shall be sufficient,” it says. Once the demand is submitted, CoWIN will aggregate the numbers district- and state-wise before passing it on to manufacturers. The private centres will have to make payments on the National Health Authority (NHA) portal.

Dr Dilip Patil, state immunisation officer, confirmed that the SOP for procurement of vaccines by private hospitals was released on Tuesday though clarity on distribution is still awaited. “We are not sure if private hospitals will directly get it from the manufactures or it will come to state or respective corporations as was the system before May 1,” he said.

Mumbai hospitals welcomed the new formula. Joy Chakraborty, COO of PD Hinduja Hospital, said this strategy will prevent hoarding. “All categories of hospitals, big or small, can log on to CoWin and place their demands. They needn’t have direct contacts with manufacturers which was a hindrance for many,” he said.

Dr Prince Surana, CEO of Surana Group of Hospitals, said it was a good idea to link procurement with consumption. Dr Sunil Agrawal, head of Malad-based Sanjeevani Hospital, said he has managed only 25,000 doses since May 1. “And that too after making dozens of phone calls and going back and forth with manufacturers for weeks,” he said. “The online system sounds promising.”

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TN to get its first lab for genome sequencing at Dr MGR Medical varsity

TN to get its first lab for genome sequencing at Dr MGR Medical varsity

The university already has a lab to study zika, chikungunya, dengue, AIDS and other viruses. It also conducts RT-PCR tests.

Published: 30th June 2021 04:39 AM 

A medic at the Spicehealth Genome Sequencing Laboratory. (Photo | Shekhar Yadav, EPS)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu will soon have its first laboratory for genome sequencing analysis of coronavirus, at the Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University campus, said Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Tuesday. Speaking to the press at the university, he explained that the existing lab on the campus would be developed to study variants of the coronavirus, especially the Delta Plus variant. This will be the State’s first lab for research on coronavirus variants.

The university already has a lab to study zika, chikungunya, dengue, AIDS and other viruses. It also conducts RT-PCR tests. As of now, coronavirus samples are sent to InSTEM, Bengaluru for genome sequencing. The Health Minister, along with Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan, inspected the lab at the university on Tuesday.

‘AIADMK should clarify its stand on NEET’

Regarding a writ petition filed by the BJP in the Madras High Court against the nine-member committee headed by former Judge AK Rajan, formed by the State government to study the impact of NEET on students from socially-backward classes, Subramanian said the AIADMK government, which is an ally with the BJP, should clarify its stand on NEET in Tamil Nadu.

The writ petition filed by the BJP only shows its double stand on NEET. Former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami asks if the present government is for or against NEET, so he should now clarify his party’s stand. The DMK always opposed NEET, and now, the committee has been formed to study its impact on students. The AK Rajan committee has so far received over 86,000 complaints, the minister said. The committee will soon submit its report to Chief Minister MK Stalin. The State is also against the EXIT exam for undergraduate doctors, the minister added.

No privacy in Omandurar Medical College, even to relieve oneself

No privacy in Omandurar Medical College, even to relieve oneself

As the number of Covid cases has been reducing, the male and female units have been merged, both in the general Covid ward and the Covid ICU, patients said.

Published: 30th June 2021 04:35 AM |

By KV Navya

Express News Service

CHENNAI: 70-year-old Valarmathi (name changed) who is bedridden due to a Covid-related illness at the Government Omandurar Medical College Hospital, has been relieving herself in front of other patients and their attendants, including men, for the past week.

As the number of Covid cases has been reducing, the male and female units have been merged, both in the general Covid ward and the Covid ICU, patients said. The hospital’s dean, Dr R Jayanthi, said male and female patients are lodged separately, but photos from patients suggest otherwise.

“Only two screens are provided to cover the patient. So, at least one person can see the patient at all times. This is the case in both ICU and general Covid ward. This adds to the emotional trauma and suffering,” said Valarmathi’s attendant.

Only two screens are provided to cover the patient, so at least one person can see  the patient at all times, said an attendant;

Besides, attendants are again being allowed in Covid wards though the government has prohibited this. Photos shared by patients in the Covid ward show attendants sitting on the beds along with patients.

Valarmathi’s attendant added that the body of a patient who died was only taken away one-and-a-half hours later.

P Ravi, whose father was admitted to the hospital, said the washrooms are seldom cleaned. “There is an unbearable stench, and this adds to the patients’ suffering. When the patient beside my father died, my father started panicking as his body remained there. Though the doctors are doing a great job, the facilities are poor.”

Another patient, on condition of anonymity, said the oxygen concentrators were not working. “They had to check three or four concentrators before finding one that works. But even them the flowmeter knob was not working. Before the number of cases rises again, the government should repair the equipment,” he said.

The dean said she would assess and address the situation.

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