Game-changer kit in combating the dengue outbreak

Dr Navin Khanna -Padma Shri awardee whose innovation, priced at Rs 100, can diagnose dengue in 15 minutes

14 years ago, a letter from India’s former president, Dr Abdul Kalam (the then Chief of Defence Research and Development Organisation), changed Dr Navin Khanna’s life forever.

An expert in mosquito-borne diseases, especially Dengue, Dr Khanna, as part of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) was called to tackle the 2006 dengue outbreak in northern India, by developing an efficient screening test.

It took him and his team of scientists, six long years of hard work, to develop a solution that was effective and affordable. In 2012, he developed ‘Dengue Day 1’ which proved to be a game-changer in combating the dengue outbreak.

“Unlike other tests that take days to weeks to come up with the results, Dengue Day 1 can diagnose a patient in just 15 minutes. As the name suggests, this kit can identify the dengue from the very first day itself. Timely diagnosis in this scenario can save countless people,” explains Dr Khanna.

Priced at just Rs 140, this life-saving innovation and its innovator were recognised this year with the prestigious Padma Shri award, India’s fourth-highest civilian award.