AIIMS Bhopal Develops Low-Cost Dengue Detection Kit in Breakthrough for Rural Healthcare

Researchers at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhopal have developed a rapid, low-cost dengue detection kit that can deliver results within 20 minutes without requiring sophisticated laboratory infrastructure — a breakthrough with significant implications for rural and semi-urban healthcare in India.

The kit, which costs under ₹80 per test compared to ₹600–₹1,200 for conventional diagnostic tests, uses a novel lateral flow immunoassay method that can detect the dengue NS1 antigen as well as IgM and IgG antibodies in a single strip.

Lead researcher Dr. Priya Nair, Associate Professor of Microbiology at AIIMS Bhopal, said the team filed for a patent last month and is in discussions with three Indian manufacturers for large-scale production. “Our goal is to make this available at rural primary health centres within 18 months,” she said.

The development is particularly timely for Madhya Pradesh, which recorded over 11,000 dengue cases last year — the highest in the state’s history. District health officials in Bhopal, Jabalpur, and Gwalior have already expressed interest in piloting the kit in their surveillance programmes during the upcoming monsoon season.