NIPERs focuses on research, 3D products to fight COVID19

A meeting of all the Directors and Chairmen of the institutions through video conferencing was held under the chairmanship of Dr P D Vaghela, Secretary, Pharmaceuticals here to review their performance in research & innovation activities especially with regard to the ways in which NIPERs have and can contribute in country's fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

Director, NIPER Guwahati informed about the fabrication of prototypes for 3D printed face-shields, a "hands-free object" for the touch-less opening of doors, drawers & elevators, antiviral masks as well as skin-friendly herbal sanitizers. He informed that industrial-scale manufacturing of these products is being done in collaboration with Hindustan Antibiotics Limited, a departmental PSU. At NIPER Mohali, in association with the Government of Punjab, steps have been initiated to set-up an RT-PCR based COVID-19 testing facility to expedite COVID-19 confirmatory tests in the state.

Dr Vaghela mentioned that all COVID-19 related research and product development initiatives should be done briskly to provide help to the needy at the earliest.

In particular, he stressed that all licensing and commercialization aspects of the developed solutions at NIPERs should be coordinated through regulatory agencies on priority so that the products reach the market in this hour of need. Through these research efforts and societal participation in helping the people, NIPERs are committed to work in solidarity with different groups and serve the country in the best possible way.

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