Rotary Club OF Nagpur Downtown and Persistent Systems Ltd handed over a Hi-Tech Hi-Speed Hi-Volume RNA-DNA EXTRACTION Unit of globally recognised ThermoFisher brand on Friday 24th in a low-profile function at VRDL Lab, IGMCH, Nagpur.This hi-tech gadget would Quadruple the COVID 19 Testing Capacity at IGGMCH, Nagpur.The noble gesture has enhanced the existing COVID Testing capacities at IGMC, Nagpur by 4 times.
The project was done by Persistent System’s CSR Initiative and Rotary’s Global Grant costing Rs.35 lacs.The ceremony was completed in august presence of H’ble Collector Shri Ravindra Thakare, Dean IGGMCH Dr. Ajay Keoliya, Rotary District Governor Shabbir Shakir , Rotarian Sameer Bendre, Chief People Officer, Persistent Systems Ltd., The project was envisaged in collaboration with international partner Rotary Club of Chicago Cosmopolitan through President Samantha Owens and Rotary International District 6450, Chicago, USA.
After lot of groundwork & research, finally we identified the critical need for augmenting the number of tests thereby reducing the pressure on the ecosystem like Quarantine hubs, Healthcare professionals, test results,and related logistics from the government’s perspective.The ever-growing number of COVID 19 Positive cases in Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh; necessitated the need to augment the testing capacities of COVID Designated labs here. †informed Project Director Rotarian Virendra Patrikar.
“I am extremely glad that Rotary Club of Nagpur Downtown heeded to the administrations appeal to facilitate few aspects on the testing front and the city is blessed with this new facility. The instrument can also be used for other similar tests in future as well. It is a blessing for the region. Rotary had been in the forefront across the globe for rising to the occasions for the needs of humanity”, opined Collector Ravindra Thakare who was chief guest during the low key ceremony.
On this occassion Mr. Sameer Bendre reiterated Persistent Systems Ltd’s  commitment to contribute 25cr in COVID relief measures for it’s global locations.We directly implement the project through our CSR team & In Nagpur alone we have spent Rs.50 lakh supporting more than 5 projects till date & continue to spend more.We in association with Rotary Club of Nagpur Downtown got in touch with IGGMCH to identify the need and this project of COVID testing machine took shape.”
The beneficiary institution IGMC’s daily average for COVID-19 Testing currently is 150 tests while working 24×7, using manual extraction method as automated RNA extraction machine was not available.“This machine would help us in achieving the target. And in these crisis times, Rotary Downtown’s gesture is nothing less than divine,said Dr Ajay Deoliya, Dean, IGMC.
“We have the requisite PCR Systems. But the RNA/DNA Extraction is still being done manually because of which the PCR Systems were under-utilized. So to augment the test numbers from 150 in avg to 500-600 per day and reduce the pressure on the entire COVID War eco-system; there was an immense need for an automated hi-Volume hi-Speed and Hi-Tech RNA/DNA System that would complement the existing PCR Systems. So the need to augment the current count of 1000 Tests per week to 5000 Tests per week was to be addressed.†said Dr Ravindra Khadase of the beneficiary VRDL Lab at IGMC, Nagpur.
It is noteworthy that Persistent Foundation through Trustee Sameer Bendre had contributed Rs. 15,00,000/- for the cause,Manish shah of laxmi constructions has contributed 2 lacs and made it possible for Rotary Club of Nagpur Downtown to achieve this club’s first ever USD 42250 Global Grant feat with exemplary effort by Project Director Past president Virendra Patrikar who has worked very hard from conceiving the idea, groundwork,need assessment, coordinating with local gov authorities in IGMC, Rotary international, paperwork, procurement of machine etc
Present on the occasion were Downtown President Nishikant Kashikar, past president Sandip Deshpande, downtown vice President Abhijit Deshpande,Club Secretary Dr Pratiksha Mayee,Treasurer Prajakta Mangrulkar, Vinod athwale who worked hard for the success of the project & event.
