Srinagar: Signifying how different strata of the society are coming together to fight the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the University of Kashmir has decided to send 10 of its research scholars with expertise in bio-chemistry, bio-technology, and microbiology to SKIMS, Soura and GMC hospitals.
The varsity has also handed over high-end equipment used in clinical laboratories to the hospitals, which are working under tremendous pressure right now and have to test hundreds of samples a day.
“University has identified 10 research scholars from various departments who will be deputed to assist the state health department in fight against COVID-19,” reads a communique from the university to Health and Medical Education Department.
Six of the ten identified research scholars have been deputed at SK Institute of Medical Science Soura while the rest have been deputed in Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar.
The university has also handed high-speed equipment including 1 RT-qPCR (Real time thermal cycler device) to SKIMS, two high-speed refrigerated centrifuges (used for separation of aqueous solutions and suspensions of different densities), one benchmark heat block, and one vortex machine to GMC Srinagar.
“The government had requested the varsity for RT-qPCR machines and high-speed refrigerated centrifuges to augment the testing facility. We have already provided these equipment. In addition, they also requested for manpower to run these equipment,” an official at the university said.
He said that these research scholars have voluntarily come forward to lend their hand and contribute their part in serving society during these tough times.
“No research scholar has been forced by the university authority to do this job,” the official said.
He added that these scholars are well trained because they perform these kind of tests in University laboratories during their research.
