In a tweet on Thursday, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran posted a photo of the Iranian healthcare personnel standing alongside an RT-PCR device and expressed gratitude to the Vienna-based agency for its help and support in the battle against the pandemic.
“Atomic Energy Organization of Iran @aeoinews would like to appreciate the International Atomic Energy Agency @iaeaorg for supplying Iran with the RT-PCR rapid diagnosis devices for combating #Covid_19 virus pandemic in the country. Good deeds will never be forgotten,” reads the tweet.
On Sunday, Deputy Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) and Director of Nuclear Science and Technology Research Center Javad Karimi Sabet announced that the AEOI had received two coronavirus rapid diagnosis test devices to help the Health Ministry curb the novel virus.
Earlier in April, the IAEA had announced the dispatch of diagnostic machines and kits to more than 40 countries.
According to the official website of the IAEA, the first batch of supplies, worth around €4 million, will help countries use the technique known as real-time RT-PCR. This is the most sensitive technique for detecting viruses currently available.
“Real-time RT-PCR is an established and accurate method to detect pathogens. We’ve seen the number of Member State requests for support to run such tests more than double in the past two weeks,” said Ivancho Naletoski, technical officer at the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)/IAEA Division for Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture.
“Laboratories will receive diagnostic kits and accessories needed for the analysis, disposable protective gear and equipment for the molecular detection of this specific viral genome,” he added.
MNA/4913767