(a) whether the Government proposes to augment India''s Sars-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) network and complement national efforts by enabling decentralized genome sequencing in small towns, including district hospitals and medical colleges;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken by the Government in this regard; and
(c) if not, the reasons therefor?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)
(a) to (c):
The foundation of Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) jointly led by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Department of Bio-Technology, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research and Indian Council of Medical research to assess SARS-CoV-2 variants in India. INSACOG Consortium monitors the genomic variations on a regular basis through the multi-laboratory network.
A Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for joining INSACOG network by new laboratories nominated by Central Govt. Ministries/ Department as well as State Government nominated laboratories, laboratories belonging to private sector labs and other entities has also been formulated and notified in public domain.
At present this consortium is a network of pan India sentinel sites and 52 INSACOG Genome Sequencing Laboratories (IGSLs).