New Delhi, June 2 (IANS): Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) on Tuesday said that it has donated 74,328 RT-PCR Covid-19 testing kits worth Rs 13 crore to help ramp up testing of patients in the country.

The Maharashtra government has received about 28,800 RT-PCR testing kits to help in the early detection of Covid-19 and others who received the kits include the Indian Council of Medical Research, Metropolis Labs and Apollo Hospitals.

"The RT-PCR testing kits consist of nucleic acid diagnostic kit, sample release reagent, throat swab, PCR tube and sample storage reagent. The testing kits are approved by international certification bodies such as CE IVD, US-FDA and EU CE, and are also listed in FIND, a World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaboration Centre," it said.

Sanjiv Mehta, Chairman and MD, Hindustan Unilever Ltd, said: "Sufficient supply of testing kits and other medical equipment will help frontline warriors competently tackle the Covid-19 virus. This will not only allow for free testing in critical regions, but also accelerate the process of testing asymptomatic patients, supplementing government efforts to flatten the curve and arrest the spread of the pandemic in the country."

This contribution comes on the back of 29 ventilators worth Rs 3 crore that HUL is donating to government hospitals in Maharashtra. Last month, HUL had also donated 5,000 sets of PPEs, 20,000 N95 masks, 2,00,000 gloves, 112 pulse oximeters and 28 oxygen concentrators worth Rs 2 crore to the Maharashtra Public Health Department.

Beside states like Maharashtra and New Delhi which have a high Covid-19 patient count, HUL is also extending product donation and other support across India around its manufacturing locations and offices in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

HUL recently committed Rs 100 crore towards helping India fight the Covid-19 pandemic, undertaking various initiatives to ensure safety of people and communities, product sourcing, and business continuity.