The researchers at IIIT-Bhagalpur had started working on the project after the surge of Covid-19 patients and delay in Covid testing since March, 2020.
The IIIT-Bhagalpur director, Prof Arvind Choubey, headed the research team. He told this newspaper that the ‘COVZN software technology’ is able to read the scanned chest x-ray film or plate as well as High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT)/computerized tomography (CT) scan uploaded to the computer in less than one second through the software programme.
“The cost of diagnosis of Covid-19 infection would be less than Rs100 through this software technology, compared to the conventional microbiological swab tests at present. It will also save two-three days or even more in getting the test results. The COVZN is able to detect tuberculosis and other complicated chest diseases too.”
Choubey, along with fellow assistant professor Sandip Raj, claimed that the ICMR and union ministry of health made elaborate test run before validating the innovative technology, through which precious lives, time and money of patients in diagnosing Covid-19 infection will be saved.
Earlier, the ICMR had formed a high-level advisory committee headed by Dr Randeep Guleria (director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi) and experts from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to explore the ‘COVZN’ software and suggest the modalities for using it as soon as possible.
“Sample testings of the technology was done in the recent past in the presence of doctors and experts at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital (JLNMCH) in Bhagalpur, IGIMS (Patna), AIIMS and Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (Delhi). The results were 94%-98% successful. Their data exhibited 98-100% result in correct diagnosis,” Choubey said.