GS Health Donates Test-Kits which Diagnoses Dengue Faster to the
Ministry of Health
George Steuarts Health recently donated Rs. 2 million worth of new
diagnostic test-kits to the Ministry of Health in order to support the
ongoing Dengue research work conducted by the Epidemiology Unit. The
test-kits which were donated by GS Health, a subsidiary of George
Steuart & Company Ltd., are manufactured by SD Diagnostics, Korea and is
called the SD Bioline Dengue Duo – the world’s first and only product
available which detects both the Dengue virus (NSI Antigen) as well as
the antibodies of the Dengue virus (Dengue IgG/IgM) whether in human
whole blood, serum or plasma.
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Dr. Jayantha Weeraman (Consultant Epidemiologist), Dr.
Hasitha Tissera (Consultant Epidemiologist – project in
charge), Mr. Erandajith Ranasinghe (Executive Director -
George Steuart Health), Dr. Nihal Jayathilake (Secretary –
Ministry of Health), Dr. Paba Palihawadena
(Chief Epidemiologist ), Dr. Sarath Amunugama - Deputy
Director General (PHS) and Mr. Priyankara Attygalle –
Manager Diagnostics, George Steuart Health, at the event. |
According to Erandajith Ranasinghe, Executive Director of GS Health,
“These kits are donated as the latest offering from our portfolio to
ease the burden of the common man. Further, they would facilitate
conduct of the test with large throughput screening for management of
the disease,” he noted. “It is going to be a handy tool in screening of
patients on a large scale basis in an affordable manner. GS Health is
committed to tap the growing opportunities in the sector and making a
solid community intervention such as this - to make tests of diseases
accessible and affordable - we will extend more facilities to the
Government in the future as well.”
The new test will help diagnose dengue even during the “window
period” - within the first day after symptoms of the illness appear,
which is when most people are likely to see a health care professional
and the dengue virus is likely to be present in their blood. The test
can identify all four dengue virus types and can be carried out in any
hospital/diagnostic laboratory setup with results being obtained within
15-20 minutes.
As per the published data of the Epidemiology Unit at the Ministry of
Health, 16,052 Dengue cases have been diagnosed within the year 2012
alone, out of which 76 cases resulted in the death of the patient. “As
such, the need for the new dengue diagnostic test was high,” says
Priyankara Attigalle, Manager Diagnostics of GS Health.
“Patients will be diagnosed sooner than before, and public health
laboratories will have a clearer picture of the true number of dengue
cases. Dengue is now a reportable disease in the Country, and the
availability of state-of-the-art dengue diagnostics will improve patient
management and the public health response to dengue. GS Health is
pleased to be a part of this cause.”
GS Health is also the marketer and distributor of Dengue Antigen and
Antibody Rapid Test-Kits, all manufactured by SD Diagnostics which are
widely used by all leading private hospitals and laboratories in the
country. |
