Dhaka, Bangladesh – Hai Kang Life Corporation Ltd recently held technical seminar and demonstration on Mobile Field Unit and advanced molecular NASBA technology training in infectious disease diagnosis including rapid detection of H1N1 (Swine Flu Virus) and H5N1 (Bird Flu Virus) for the IEDCR (Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control & Research & National Influenza Centre (NIC) and Central Disease Investigation of the Department of Livestock Services.

The first day of the training event was held at the IEDC Auditorium, Mohakhali, Dhaka on Saturday 16th January. Professor Albert Yu (Chairman and CEO of Hai Kang Life) and Dr Terence Lau (Chief Operating Officer) were key presenters in the seminar joined by Professor Mahmudur Rahman (Director of IEDCR) who delivered opening and closing remarks, Dr Mat Yamage, Chief Technical Advisor/Team Leader for Avian Influenza Control Program Bangladesh (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) and Dr Md. Munzur Murshid Khan (Managing Director of Biohealth Company Ltd), co-organizer and chair of the event.

Principle and senior scientific officers, and government representatives from IEDCR and the Department of Livestock gathered for the technical seminar to hear Professor Yu’s talk on Winning the War against Influenza Pandemic and acquiring the demand for innovative tools that are quick, accurate and simple to use in the laboratory and on the fields. Dr Terence Lau spoke next in detail the technical aspects, advantages and characteristics of NABSA technology, emphasizing the stronger capability of rapid molecular tests in which Hai Kang Life have developed over the last decade for use in common laboratories and for the Mobile Field Unit in combating global threat of influenza and infectious diseases of zoonotic nature and pandemic potential.

The talks drew engaging questions and discussions among the audience, panel guests and speakers. Professor Rahman, Director of IEDCR delivered closing remarks emphasizing the importance of advance technology that company like Hai Kang Life have been developing and making it available for people around the world to use in counteracting the threat of severe infectious diseases. He also expressed the need to embrace advance molecular technology through greater depth of understanding in order for Bangladesh to equip front-line and central forces adequately.

The seminar was followed by an afternoon of practical demonstration, lead by Hai Kang Life’s Technical Support Specialist, Ms Florence Lam who demonstrated features of the Mobile Field Unit and NASBA molecular process encompassing the simplified Elisa-based detection method. The NASBA detection stage which utilizes a simple hand-held Elisa-reader of the Mobile Field Unit was demonstrated by an invited senior scientific officer of Department of Virology, IEDCR. According to participants, the practical demonstration was considered extremely successful and beneficial; proving to them rapid molecular tests such as NASBA technology that do not require use of specialized equipment plays an important part in surveillance and containment procedures in a disease outbreak. The high level of sensitivity of NASBA could be used to quickly rule out the presence of pathogenic influenza infection in suspected cases who exhibit similar characteristics to the common flu.

As commented by one of the training participants, local population, front-line workers and field diseases investigation laboratories would benefit significantly from employing Mobile Field Unit in affected and high-risk areas given Bangladesh is among the most densely populated countries in the world.

Training of Mobile Field Unit continued over the week in Dhaka, with demonstration of NASBA technology conducted at the Central Disease Investigation Laboratory of the Department of Livestock Services and Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute. The training for these groups generated highly motivated atmosphere, providing opportunity to share experiences and opinions on current practices among senior officials of animal health and principle scientific officers. Hai Kang Life was also invited to a meeting with Dr Md. Habibur Rahman, Director General of Department of Livestock Services and his team of deputy official of animal health, capped off with presentation of the Mobile Field Unit.

Hai Kang Life’s Mobile Field Unit is an entire system packaged into an easily transportable suitcase that assembles into a complete diagnostic facility for use in any environment for rapid and accurate diagnosis of infectious diseases in animal or human samples before outbreaks occur. Results are available immediately and samples do not have to be sent to a central lab for expensive and time-consuming testing. This swift and early identification of the presence of the flu pathogens enables governments to formulate and implement preventative measures against infectious diseases of pandemic nature.