Siemens Healthcare said on Tuesday that it has been granted approval by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) to provide an RT-PCR kit for the identification of monkeypox.

According to the firm, the clearance of the locally manufactured kit is a crucial step forward in the fight against the public health problem known as monkeypox, or M-pox.

With a yearly production capacity of one million reactions, the company's molecular diagnostics center in Vadodara will manufacture the IMDX Monkeypox Detection RT-PCR Assay.

The M-pox detection kit helps shorten the turnaround time for reporting, resulting in quicker responses, according to Siemens Healthcare. Results are available in just 40 minutes, which is much faster than traditional methods (which take 1-2 hours).

The kit, which has been clinically confirmed by the ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune, is said to have an astounding 100% sensitivity and specificity. According to MD Hariharan Subramanian of Siemens Healthcare, there has never been a greater pressing need for precise and reliable diagnoses than there is right now. Siemens Healthcare demonstrated its proactive approach to combating monkeypox by supplying India with sophisticated Assay kits specifically designed for the disease. The company placed a high priority on timely and accurate detection, which can ultimately result in the saving of lives.

On August 14, the M-pox epidemic was classified as a public health emergency of global concern by the World Health Organization. Following a sharp rise in instances reported in several regions of Africa, action was taken. Since 2022, about 30 instances of M-pox have been found in India. The nation's most recent case was documented in March 2024.