Delhi Repurposes 85 TB Machines for Hepatitis Tests

Delhi plans to use 85 molecular diagnostic machines assigned to the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) to expand hepatitis B and C testing. The arrangement would operate at district level, pending concurrence from the NTEP State Programme Officer. The Centre’s National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme central unit has indicated it will procure the requested testing chips centrally.

For the 2026-27 financial year, the government has sought 2,500 Truenat testing chips for each infection. It plans to initially earmark one Truenat platform per district for viral-load testing of patients who test positive for hepatitis B or C. An official statement said the proposal still requires concurrence and operational planning.

How the testing plan would work

Truenat platforms are portable molecular diagnostic machines. They use polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based tests to identify genetic material in patient samples and can detect infections, including tuberculosis. Under the proposed hepatitis programme, staff would use the machines to test patients who have already tested positive for hepatitis B or C.

Viral-load tests measure the amount of virus in a patient’s blood and help assess the infection. The plan would add hepatitis testing to existing machines, rather than establish a separate fleet of diagnostic platforms. It initially assigns one platform per district, though the statement doesn’t specify how many districts are involved.

Delhi submitted its demand for 2,500 chips for hepatitis B and another 2,500 for hepatitis C to the Central Programme Division. The National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme’s central unit indicated that the Centre would procure the chips. This arrangement connects machines used under the national tuberculosis programme with a separate national hepatitis programme, while local deployment remains subject to NTEP concurrence.

Operating hours and wider screening

The government also plans to use existing testing machines beyond regular working hours and on holidays. That would depend on workload and operational requirements, the official statement said. Technicians will receive training and incentives to conduct the tests.

The wider screening plan also includes portable X-ray facilities, with a special focus on women, particularly pregnant women. The stated purpose is to help identify health conditions that require further investigation. The statement didn’t give a timetable for introducing the X-ray facilities or more details on their deployment.

Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh said the government was focused on strengthening diagnostic services by using existing health-care infrastructure and improving access to timely hepatitis B and C testing. The statement described the district-level arrangement as proposed, not completed, and said it would proceed only after the required concurrence and operational planning.

The initiative aims to improve access to testing and strengthen coordination between national health programmes. The official statement was issued on Friday. The story appeared in a syndicated feed and NDTV staff didn’t edit it.