(Islamabad) A Pakistani doctor based in Toronto
has introduced an instant Covid-19 diagnostic test using a smartphone. Pakistan
High Commissioner to Canada Raza Bashir Tarar has congratulated Dr. Naqeeb
Khalid for his extraordinary achievement. In a video conversation with Dr.
Naqeeb Khalid who led the development of smartphone-based diagnostic test for
Covid-19 as Director of Medical Device Program at the Montreal-based Two-Photon
Research Inc.; the high commissioner said the idea of the Covid test being displayed
and communicated by the smartphone was novel and laudable. He expressed the
hope that such a quick; hassle-free; accessible and affordable invention would
be of immense help to the humanity in overcoming the current pandemic and
fighting viruses causing tropical diseases such as dengue etc. The high
commissioner said that clinical trials of the innovation would prove its
efficacy for the Covid-19 test and pave the way for necessary approvals before
being put to use at the mass level. He conveyed his best wishes to Dr. Naqeeb
Khalid and his brother Najeeb Khalid who collaborated with him due to his
background in a broad range of engineering and science disciplines. Dr. Naqeeb
Khalid, who graduated from King Edward Medical University in 1983; before acquiring
experience in invention of medical devices and systems; told the high
commissioner that his innovation was based on a digital platform that displayed
the result instantly on any smartphone and can also communicate or store the
results along with time and GPS information. A smartphone App will be available
for download from the AppStore. ‘Instant; accurate and low-cost testing that
does not rely on laboratory testing is essential in containing the pandemic and
together with vaccines; we can control the Covid-19 outbreak and return our
lives and economies to normal;’ said Najeeb Khalid.
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