Goa will get a genome sequencing machine free of cost under an international programme dealing with epidemic control and the equipment is likely to become operational by mid-February, state Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said on Thursday. Talking to reporters, he said the coastal state will get the genome sequencing machine funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Reaching Impact, Saturation and Epidemic Control (RISE) programme.
Under this programme, they (USAID) have decided to give us a genome sequencing machine. It would be operationalised by mid-February (next year), Rane said. The minister said the international agency will support the Goa government for a year with their kits and other infrastructure needed to operate the device.
We have signed an agreement with them for two years on overall cooperation in the health sector, he said.The US agency will also advice the government on aspects like oxygen management, critical care for paediatric and adult patients, among other things, the minister said.
Rane said the American agency has similar tie-ups with some other states.Currently, Goa does not have any genome sequencing facility and swab samples related to coronavirus cases are sent out of the state for the process.
Genome sequencing is a technique that helps scientists decipher the genetic information found in the DNA of anything, from viruses to bacteria to plants to animals. It has become a key tool in the diagnosis of COVID-19 and in understanding the spread and control of the new coronavirus.
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