Chinese Firm Counters India on Charges Of Faulty Test Kits

India could respect China’s goodwill & sincerity, strengthen communication timely based on facts, and resolve it reasonably & properly: Embassy

Beijing| Ji Rong, Spokesperson and Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in India has said China is “deeply concerned” with the assessment results and the Indian Council of Medical Research’s decision.

This comes just one day after the ICMR urged all states to stop using rapid testing kits brought from two Chinese firms with immediate effect.

Countering accusations of faulty rapid testing kits, Wondfo Biotech, a Chinese firm has said that differences in results could be due to the timing of the tests as it is a significant factor in ascertaining accuracy.

It also pointed out that the firm’s products have the permission of the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune and were considered as “satisfactory products.”

On Monday, the ICMR had sent out advisories to state governments to stop the usage of kits from Wondfo and another supplier Zhuhai Livzon Diagnostics, just a little over 10 days after it explained that the rapid test kits were no confirmatory tools but can be used as a surveillance tool in the fight against novel coronavirus.

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“States have now been told to not use these kits and return them to be sent back to the suppliers,” said Indian Council of Medical Research.

While the pricing of these kits has also transformed into a controversial debate. The Central Government has said that it has not lost any money in the purchase of rapid test kits.

Previously, many other countries have accused Chinese firms of sending faulty kits, PPE, masks or other equipment. Earlier, India had junked PPE donated by China as it could not pass the quality test.