Minister of Health and Family Welfare B. Sriraumulu inaugurated the much-awaited COVID-19 test facility at the Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) in Ballari on Monday.
The facility, which can test 15 samples in a shift, would be a great relief for Ballari and other surrounding districts which were thus far dependent on the National Institute of Virology in Bengaluru, which was already overburdened, for COVID-19 sample tests.
As per information shared by the district administration, the laboratory was established after obtaining all the permissions from the competent authorities and completing all the necessary procedures.
“We have received one machine which can test 15 samples in a batch originally. We have further purchased one more machine worth ₹ 16.5 lakh using calamity funds of the district which can test another 45 samples. So, we can test 110 samples in a day (two shifts),” Deputy Commissioner of Ballari S.S. Nakul said in a communication. He offered special thanks to VIMS Director Devanand and Microbiology Department Head Krishna, for all the hard work they put in to get the facility established.
