Walk-in sample collection kiosk for COVID-19 test developed by ITI in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, Apr 30 () In an effort to ensuresafety of health workers in the fight against the COVID-19outbreak, state-run Industrial Training Institute (ITI),Cuttack has developed a portable walk-in kiosk for collectingsamples from suspected coronavirus-infected persons, anofficial said on Thursday.

Inspired by a similar initiative taken by medicalstaff in South Korea, a dedicated team of 4 skilled trainersof the institute started working on the project and developedthe mobile sample collection unit, its principal HrushikeshMohanty said.

This will help health workers maintain socialdistancing norms while collecting samples from people, hesaid.

The walk-in sample collection kiosk is a mobilecubicle with a sealed glass on its front side that protectsthe health personnel from getting infected with the viruswhile collecting the samples, he said.

"Gloves are fitted with the front side of the kiosk,through which a health worker standing inside the cubicle cancollect samples.

"The entire structure is supported with wheels at thebase for its mobility and has internal electrical fittings.Swabs can be collected without direct exposure and contact,"Mohanty said.

The gloves can be sanitised from outside aftercollection of swabs, he said.

A walk-in kiosk costs around Rs 30,000 and will reducethe requirement of personal protective equipment, he said.

Such mobile sample collection units have also beeninstalled in hospitals in Kerala and Jharkhand.

Skilled trainers from fitting, electrical, paintingand carpentry trades have collaborated for making the mobileunit in six days, the principal of the institute said.

The work for finding innovative solutions in the wakeof the COVID-19 outbreak was entrusted to the ITI by thestate's Directorate of Technical Education and Training(DTET).

A team of the institute has already developed twoservice robots to be deployed in Covid hospitals, Mohantysaid.

Odisha reported 128 COVID-19 cases so far and a total31,696 samples have been tested across the state, a healthdepartment official said. SKNBDC BDC