indiaUpdated: Apr 14, 2020 20:26 ISTCongress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the government on Tuesday for what he said was a delay on its part in the purchase of testing kits for Covid-19 and said the country is “now critically short of them”. Rapid Test Kits, or RTKs, are blood tests that search for antibodies in the sample of those tested. “With just 149 tests per million Indians, we are now in the company of Laos (157), Niger (182) & Honduras (162). ICMR raised a tender on April 11 for 4.5 million more rapid testing kits to be delivered in batches apart from the order for 500,000 kits that has already been placed. Also read: Congress backs lockdown extension but asks PM Modi to spell out strategy to fightIndia had ordered 500,000 kits from Chinese suppliers on March 30.

Source: Hindustan Times April 14, 2020 10:36 UTC