A Review of Challenges in Performing RT- PCR for COVID-19 in Rural Healthcare Settings
Priti Karadbhajane
Research and Development, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences (DU), Wardha, India.
Aatmika Chauhan
Plant Pathology Laboratory, Central Citrus Research Institute, ICAR, Nagpur, India.
Shilpa Gaidhane
Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Epidemiology and Public Health, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical college, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences (DU), Wardha, India.
Manoj Patil
Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences, Sawangi (M), Wardha, India.
Zahiruddin Quazi Syed *
Research and Development, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences (DU), Wardha, India.
Anil Tambekar
Research & Development, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences, Sawangi (M), Wardha, India.
Abhay Gaidhane
School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences, Sawangi (M), Wardha, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic has thoroughly shaken the community globally, including remote rural areas of all countries. Testing for SARS Cov-2 and clinical laboratory became the priority in hospital and healthcare settings during this pandemic. WHO confirmed the specificity and sensitivity of RT-PCR and announced the RT-PCR as the confirmatory test for the Covid-19 investigation. Governments mobilized all their vital resources towards establishing laboratories and enhancing the number of diagnostic tests to curb the spread of pandemics. In India's resource-limited limited settings, a molecular technique like RT-PCR faced several problems like improper laboratory setup, deficiency of trained health professionals, and many setbacks. This review reflects on challenges experienced in rural and resource-limited settings during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Keywords: COVID-19, SARS Cov-2, molecular diagnosis, rural and resource-limited setting, RT-PCR