Kasturba Hospital awaits genome sequencing machine from Chicago

MUMBAI: After almost two months of being approved, the main medical equipment that is required for genome sequencing at Kasturba Hospital, is currently stuck in Chicago, civic body officials said.

A United States-based nongovernment organisation (NGO) has donated the machine to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). However, a section of officials in the US has claimed pandemic-related restrictions on ferrying cargo, thus delaying its arrival to India. Some officials have also cited customs duty issues as another reason.

Genome sequencing is an exercise to study the changes in the structure of the virus over time. A combination of changes in the ribonucleic acid of the virus can give birth to a new variant.

In May, Kasturba Hospital became the first civic-run hospital in Mumbai to receive approval to start genome sequencing of Sars-cov-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. Along with this, a committee will also research the microbiological characteristics of the mutated strains of the virus.

“The machine, which is worth in crores, has been donated by an NGO from Chicago for genome sequencing at the hospital. As soon as we get it, we will start the genome sequencing,” said Dr Ramesh Bharmal, dean of BYL Nair Hospital, Kasturba Hospital’s parent institute.

The civic body is now trying to procure medical equipment for emergency use. “The machine has to be transported in a cargo aircraft. But due to the ongoing pandemic, severe restrictions have been imposed on cargo ferrying in Chicago. Thus, the machine is stuck in the country, but we are trying to procure it through emergency use as it is medical equipment,” said Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner.

However, a senior official on condition of anonymity said, “Since the machine is being exported from another country, there have been some issues with the customs duty department. But we are working on it...we will retrieve the machine from at the earliest.”

The samples for genome sequencing will be collected from adults with atypical clinical presentations, children with Covid-19 infection, international passengers and patients who contracted the infection in clusters having high positivity rates.

Civic officials said in-house genome sequencing will enable faster results that will aid rapid policy planning to take appropriate measures. Genome sequencing is required for medical preparedness in any outbreak of a disease. “At present, we collect and send swab samples outside the city for genome sequencing. As a result, it takes almost 15-20 days to get the report. But after procurement of the machine, we will be able to link information of genome sequencing with patients’ data faster,” said Kakani.

Speaking to HT in May, Dr Jayanti Shastri, head of the microbiology department of Kasturba Hospital, had said, “This is genome epidemiology for better understanding of disease like its progression, severity, transmissibility and therapeutics.” The state health minister in June announced that a total of 21 cases of Sars-cov-2 Delta-plus variant have been found in samples collected from Maharashtra.