Archive: November 30, 2022

Lux Industries releases new TVC ‘Garam Bhi, Patla Bhi’ for Lux Parker to usher in the winter season

New Delhi/Hyderabad/Mumbai, November 30, 2022: Lux Industries Limited, (BSE: 539542 | NSE: LUXIND), one of the country’s largest innerwear manufacturers, known for its innovative and customer-demand-driven product offerings, manufacturing more than 100 products across 14 major brands comprising a complete range of innerwear and outerwear for men, women, and children, has yet again created a buzz with its new advertisement campaign film ‘Garam Bhi, Patla Bhi’. The new Campaign which has been conceived for the brand ‘Lux Parker’ highlights the ultimate comfort in staying warm from within during winter by wearing Lux Parker thermal wear. It is a perfect addition to the winter closet of every consumer. Targeted to every individual consumer across ages, the campaign film stars popular television actress, Pooja Gor as the lead cast. The campaign is live across television, social media, outdoor, print, and on-ground channels.

Speaking on the launch of the new campaign, Mr. Saket Todi, Executive Director, of Lux industries said “Over the years, Lux has always developed innovative product offerings that are driven by customer demand in response to shifts in consumer tastes and preferences; and this campaign is a testament to this ideal of ours. Since winter season is almost upon us, we picked this up as an opportunity to highlight how Lux Parker has the perfect design, thickness and material to be worn as an undershirt, under trousers or individually and is truly the best warmer for the entire family. Our products are thin, light, comfortable, and well-fitting, but most importantly, it gives the wearer the much-needed warmth to keep the chilly weather at bay. We really hope that consumers would enjoy our products as well as the new campaign.”

The collection consists of premium quality thermals and comes in standard sizes ranging from 75-100 with prices ranging from Rs 248 to Rs 293 for men and women and sizes ranging from 45-73 with a price range of Rs 145 to Rs 170 for kids. The products come in two shades, Dark Grey and White in both Round and V-Neck shapes, and trousers with I/E for both men and women. Lux Parker products are enriched with 100% cotton, bringing in ultimate comfort, and designed to cater to the winter needs of men, women, and kids. The material is soft and light which makes it comfortable to wear. Side body panels remove the need for a seam under the arm and give a defined body shape.

Lux Industries has always been proactive in adopting newer methods of production developing innovative products and targeting the right audience through first-of-its-kind branding and promotional activities. Its customer-centric approach has helped the brand to expand its visibility and created strong brand equity for the entire brand portfolio across 47 countries. A strong assortment of 15 brands offering mass, mid-premium, and premium products across demographics, has helped the brand outperform the market and generate a pricing premium.

Ecole Ducasse and the Ecole d’Hotellerie et de Tourisme du Luxembourg innovate through excellence-driven public-private training

Luxembourg, November 2022: Building on an over four-year partnership, École Ducasse and École d’Hôtellerie et de Tourisme du Luxembourg (EHTL) are reinforcing their collaboration by creating an ad hoc training course based on their respective and complementary expertise and designed for students in the hotel, restaurant and tourism industries. This initiative will doubtless spark or confirm vocational callings for a career in gastronomy.

As of May 2023, École Ducasse will deliver a certified skills course focused on gastronomy, as part of EHTL’s Luxembourg national education curriculum. EHTL students will thus join this 10-week École Ducasse “Les Essentiels des Arts Culinaires” program based on a selection process that involves submitting a dedicated application file. This intensive training course featuring a strong practical dimension will enable participants to discover the fundamentals of French cuisine, as well as to master the basics of Alain Ducasse’s culinary approach and philosophy.

Students will implement contemporary and traditional techniques, discover the secrets of the great French classics, along with learning to select, prepare and cook the finest produce.

The course will comprise the following learning modules:

•     Fundamental techniques of the culinary arts

•     Bistronomy and traditional cuisine

•     Mediterranean cuisines

•     Fundamental pastry-making techniques

•     Restaurant finance management

•     Hygiene & operating permits

•     Internship in a restaurant

At the end of this program, the students will receive professional Chef(fe) de partie en restauration gastronomique (gourmet restaurant station chef/line cook) certification officially recognized in France.

The two institutions chose to announce this reinforcement of their partnership at the 14th edition of Luxembourg’s Expogast – International Trade Show for Gastronomy, created in 1972 and celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

“We share complementary expertise with EHTL as well as strong values such as excellence, eco-responsibility and open-mindedness. With these principles in mind, we decided to jointly build a unique program enabling EHTL students to enhance their skills in culinary arts and pastry-making based on Alain Ducasse’s philosophy of healthy and responsible cuisine, thus allowing them to explore all the wonderful professions in the field of gastronomy”, said Elise Masurel, Managing Director of École Ducasse.

“The partnership with École Ducasse will give EHTL students a considerable advantage in approaching the hospitality and gastronomy professions, as well as an opportunity to discover the professional openings facilitated by culinary arts diplomas”, said Michel Lanners, Director of the École d’Hôtellerie et de Tourisme (EHTL) du Luxembourg (EHTL).

“This additional training is an exceptional opportunity that will give me a chance to explore at close range the world of gastronomy that has always fascinated me and in which I wish to broaden my skills”, said Ribana Siquet, an EHTL student scheduled to start the École Ducasse training course in May 2023.

Five Brands Offering Sports Nutritional Supplements

Nutrabay – Founded in 2017 by Sharad Jain, Shreyans Jain, and Divay Prakash Jain, Nutrabay.com was launched as a multi-brand store, functioning on the D2C model with the objective of providing 100% authentic nutrition-rich products. The platform came as a boon for those struggling to get original products in a market flooded by duplicate health supplements. To give consumers the best possible nutrients they can include in their daily diet, Nutrabay has partnered with 70+ brands, offering Protein Powders, Women’s Health Supplements, Weight Loss Herbs, Amions, Wellness supplements, and Nutrition Foods and ensures quick and efficient delivery of these products to consumers’ doorsteps. Nutrabay is a bootstrapped company and has been successfully scaling up the business for the last few years. The brand’s plans now include taking the omnichannel route with its comprehensive offline strategy and launching new health and nutrition products.

Optimum Nutrition – Optimum Nutrition was established in 1986. It is a subsidiary of Glanbia, a leading international cheese and nutritional ingredients group. They have been setting the Gold Standard in sports nutrition for more than 30 years – helping performance focused athletes achieve their goals. They are the creators of 100% Whey Protein,  Gold Whey Standard 100% Casein, Essential Amino Energy, Diet Products, Strength and Recovery Supplements, and other health and nutrition products.

MuscleTech- MuscleTech is a brand of dietary supplements, marketed by Iovate Health Sciences Inc., which includes Hydroxycut. It was owned by Canadian company Kerr Holdings which was acquired by the Xiwang Foodstuffs Company, a Chinese company. MuscleTech supplements are made with the highest quality ingredients in the world. They are dedicated to continuously researching, developing, patenting, producing, and globally marketing the safest, most effective diet and sports supplements to assist you in achieving your personal fitness goals.

Myprotien– A leading sports nutrition brand, delivering a range of quality products including protein powder, vitamins and minerals, high-protein foods, snack alternatives, and performance clothing. Founded in 2004, Myprotein is now Europe’s No. 1, and based out of our Manchester offices, operating in over 70 countries through a diverse and dedicated team of staff, athletes, and active influencers.  Every day we work to inspire people of all ages and genders to believe in their fitness potential, then fuel them to achieve it.

DYET NUTRITION– Founded in 2021 with the objective of providing athletes, bodybuilders, and regular people with the finest quality health supplements. It ensures product quality and food safety and is FSSAI-licensed. Dyet supplies 100% genuine sports and wellness supplements to empower our consumers in reaching their maximum potential. Dyet has started recently but has gained good traction in the market. The R&D team works around the clock to help our consumers achieve their fitness goals.

Pandemic has led to geographic diversity of the workforce: Sudhir Sitapati addressed at CII National HR Conclave

Mumbai/Hyderabad, November 2022: The potential of Indian companies to help achieve the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of being a $5 trillion economy and becoming Aatmanirbhar Bharat is possible with the help of its human capital.

Mr. Sanjay Behl, Chairman, CII National Committee on Leadership & HR & CEO & Executive Director, Greaves Electric Mobility during the 12th CII HR Conclave stated that the growth of any business depends on the quality of human capital that it employs. “India is one of the fastest growing economies and has the potential to act upon the huge opportunities thrown by some of the global challenges,” he said.

He explained that globally, the economic index is contracting and with countries like China fighting some of its own internal crises thus altering the geopolitical dynamics. “India can benefit by increasing its market share. It needs a new play book to seize the plethora of opportunities that has come,” he pointed out.

The COVID 19 pandemic has helped companies reshape their business models and this has led to a lot of geographic diversity in its workforce which is a huge opportunity to attract talent, stated Mr. Sudhir Sitapati, Managing Director, and CEO, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd at the 12th CII HR Conclave – ‘HR RELEASE 2023- Evolve | Innovate | Inspire’ organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Mr. Sitapati stated that due to the geographic diversity of the workforce, talent from countries like UK and Singapore are working for Indian companies which is a huge opportunity today to bridge the talent gap. “The GIG workforce is certainly a great way of working and would help in bridging the employment gaps as well, but there is a need for more commitment and depth towards the businesses,” he said.

He also stated that companies take years to develop a culture around their workforce and that defines the way that businesses are conducted. “The role of the mentors and the human resource team of such companies is to be more emphatic towards the workforce. That is how talent is retained,” he added.

Mr. Sitapati stated business leaders at times of crises need to focus on getting the things done in hand, and not soft-pedal its employees to retain them. “From being empathic to communicating clearly, the leader needs to put the greater good of its company at times of crises,” he pointed out.

Mr. Tarun Rai, Executive Director, Wunderman Thompson explained that the people- asset should be looked upon as the most valuable asset in any company. “Instead of expecting employees to be loyal to the company, the companies need to be loyal to their workforce and give them an opportunity to grow. The employees can be loyal to their own careers,” he said.

According to Mr Rai, post the pandemic, companies are looking at boosting their performance matrix and hybrid models of work. “The plan was already there for many companies; the pandemic just accelerated these models for them. It has only made us test out the technology and embrace change,” he explained.

He added that with the changing working culture, companies need to come out with new ways of measuring people productivity. “If the company looks at nurturing its human talent and gives them ample opportunity to grow then issues such as moonlighting do not arise,” he added.

Mr Rai also informed that Indians by nature are into multitasking and known for their agility. “That is when we can get global concepts to become fully operational from India,” he said.

PLAY launched a stunningly “designed and made-in India” unisex smartwatch, PLAYFIT SLIM2C

Mumbai, November 30, 2022: Catering to the high buzz festive fervor amongst Indian consumers, PLAY has launched a stunningly “designed and made-in-India” unisex smartwatch, PLAY FIT SLIM2C. The latest smartwatch takes inspiration from fashion-designer watches and is extremely beautiful and fashionable yet has all the features of a smartwatch giving it the best of both worlds. In a bid to strengthen the design-in-India movement and provide Indian consumers with superior technological products at affordable prices, PLAY, India’s leading manufacturer of premium-styled, affordable, yet durable AioT products, has launched its latest smart wear product, PLAY FIT SLIM2C. True to its name, this next-generation wearable technology is a SLIM technology marvel crafted in wristwear for Indian consumers reflecting their growing adulation for a smartwatch over the traditional designer watch.

PLAYFIT SLIM2C will be available at an affordable price of just INR 3999. It is designed, developed, and manufactured in India, keeping a conscious design language suited to the Indian consumer’s requirements, aspirations, and feedback. The smartwatch will be available on PLAY’s official website and all major e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart along with the 50,000 offline retail stores across the country. Since its inception, the brand has expanded its geographical reach to ensure that consumers can experience and buy their latest product innovations from a local vicinity.

Spokesperson—PLAY, Mr. Hamish Patel, said, “It’s always exciting to design premium-styled, yet affordable products for Indian consumers who are well aware about the global technology evolution, completely mindful of their individual lifestyle and hence are clear about their product and experience requirements. We are extremely motivated and happy to announce the arrival of PLAY FIT SLIM2C for our consumers, which sets yet another benchmark in smart wristwear technology. At PLAY, we are always on the quest to provide fashionable yet technologically superior product innovations to our customers which cater to their personalized requirements and expectations. PLAYFIT SLIM2C is worthy proof of a harmonious blend of advanced technology with an equally fashionable design. It competes for its place with its international peers in the industry, has best-in-class design and features, yet is launched at a very India-centric customer price. We look forward to our customer’s feedback for the product and hope that PLAY FIT SLIM2C will receive positive consumer adulation like its many predecessors.”

Cigniti in Partnership with Atom has won the Testing Team of the Year Award at The European Software Testing Awards 2022

Mumbai, 30 November 2022: Cigniti Technologies, the world’s leading AI & IP-led Digital Assurance and Digital Engineering services company, in partnership with Atom bank, UK’s first app-based bank, has won the “Testing Team of the Year” at The European Software Testing Awards (TESTA) 2022 in London. Atom bank, in partnership with Cigniti, was also chosen as a finalist in three categories, namely ‘Best Test Automation Project – Functional’, ‘Testing Team of the Year, and ‘Most Innovative Project’. TESTA celebrates companies, teams, and individuals who have accomplished significant achievements in the Software Testing and Quality Assurance space.

“This award is an outcome of the effective teamwork built around the ability to handle changing requirements, problem-solving skills, razor-focused delivery, and strong team ethos in helping our global clients like Atom bank in delivering reliable and frictionless user experiences to the end customers through software quality as a key enabler. Atom bank is one of Cigniti’s strategic clients and this recognition is a testament to our deep-rooted expertise in the AI, IP-led Digital assurance, automation, continuous testing, and quality engineering services for the banking industry and the UK market,” says Srikanth Chakkilam – CEO, Cigniti Technologies.

“Atom is trusted with over £4.5bn of UK savers’ deposits and our 4.7 Trustpilot rating shows the current high level of superior digital experience we have achieved. As a strategic Digital Assurance partner for over eight years, Cigniti has helped assure our digital transformation. I appreciate the contribution the Cigniti team has made to our success” says Andy Sturrock, CTO, Atom Bank.

Simon Dawson, Head of Engineering of Atom bank said, “Atom’s app aims to set new standards for the banking sector with our pioneering digital technology allowing us to become faster, easier, and better value than anyone else out there. Over the years, Cigniti has helped us deliver complex programs of work, supported multiple concurrent initiatives, and implemented many testing innovations that have helped us improve the banking experience for our customers.”

“The strength of our relationship with Cigniti is in the people, who are committed and motivated in delivering the quality that Cigniti brings to Atom,” Simon added.

Arogya Yan By Quick Heal’s CSR Initiative Enables Healthcare For 20,000 People Of Barpeta, Assam

Mumbai, November 2022: Inspired bythe United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,Quick Heal, the leading cybersecurity service provider through its CSR initiative donated ‘Arogya Yan’, a fully equipped medical van, to the rural community in Barpeta, Assam.

In collaboration with Srijan Ek Soch, a local NGO, this initiative aims at making basic treatment and necessary testing accessible for the marginalized. The special handing over ceremony was attended by Ms. Geeta Shree, ADM, Barpeta, Ms. Disha Shrivastava, CEO, Srijan Ek Soch, Mrs. Anupama Katkar, Chairperson, Quick Heal Foundation along with the guest of honor, Mr. Bikram Jyoti Das, a visually-impaired mountaineer whore cently made a successful climb toEverest Base Camp.

This state-of-the-art fully equipped medical van enables more than 20,000 people, who earlier walked between 10-30 kms to access primary healthcare amenities,at their doorsteps. This serviceis further expected to spread awareness amongst the beneficiaries around the various government schemes that aim at promoting public welfare and better health.

Present on the occasion, Ms. Anupama Katkar, Chairperson Quick Heal Foundation and Chief of Operational Excellence, Quick Heal Technologies Limited, said, “Quick Heal’s CSR mission ‘Securing Futures’ is one that is both forward-looking, and sustainable. Arogya Yan is our endeavor to reaching those who are miles away from receiving proper medical treatment at the time of need.Our state-of-the-art fully equipped medical vanscover more than 450 villages across 7 states touching more than 3.5 lakh people. And, through this contribution in Barpeta, Assam, we are delighted to have enabled 20,000 people of these remote villages to access quality primary healthcare services at their doorsteps.”

Speaking on the occasion, Disha Shrivasatva, CEO, Srijan Ek Soch said, “Promoting healthcare & education are the intrinsic part of Srijan’s core values, and we are grateful to Quick Heal Foundation for assisting uswith the state-of-the-art mobile vans facility called Arogya Yan. With the collaboration, we are covering 20 villages in Assamto reach the remotest areas of our Socio-economic Development Center in Barpeta district region to make primary healthcare accessible, while also working towards increasing school enrolment and lowering dropout rates.”

Actor Parthiban and Gautham Karthik’s Yutha Satham set for a World Television Premiere on Colors Tamil this Friday

Mumbai, 30 November 2022: Bringing a perfect whodunnit murder mystery, Colors Tamil, Viacom18’s Tamil Entertainment channel is all set to screen the World Television Premiere of Yutha Sathamthis Friday, December 2nd at 9:30 pm. Featuring Actor R. Parthiban and Actor Gautham Karthik in the lead roles, the film chronicles the life of a cop and a private detective who come together to solve a homicide. Tune into Colors Tamil, to witness a mystery puzzle on Friday, December 2nd at 9:30 pm, and brace yourselves for a roller-coaster ride.

Directed by Ezhil, the film further features Actor Saipriya Deva, Actor Robo Shankar, Actor Vaiyapuri, and Actor Manobala as the supporting cast. The background score by D Imman elevates the film a notch higher.

The film opens to Kathirvelan(Actor R. Parthiban), a cop returning to the force after a personal tragedy who soon comes across a sensational case when a woman Raghavi(Actor Saipriya) is stabbed multiple times and the murderer flees. She happens to also be Nagulan’s girlfriend. Nagulan (Actor Gautham Karthik), a trained Psychologist and a private detective, who tries to uncover the murderer as he crosses paths with Kathirvelan. Soon Kathirvelan begins to suspect him but Nagulan claims innocence, vowing to bring justice to Raghavi the cat and mouse game begins. Who is the killer? and what mysteries are yet to be uncovered forms the rest of the plot

Commenting on the World Television Premiere, Director Ezhil said, “ The notion behind the film was to bring a unique concept to showcase how music at a specific decibel can become a potent drug and conceptualize a film revolving around the same. Inspired from the book written by Rajesh Kumar of the same name, we tried our best in doing justice to the narration in the book and borrowed a few concepts from the same. Parthiban and Gautham Karthik have done a marvellous job, besides the other actors in the film, and with its World Television Premiere on Colors Tamil, I am happy that such a unique concept will reach a larger audience and families will have a good time watching the same.”

Adding to this, Actor Parthiban said, “It was an exciting experience, especially to perform alongside Gautham Karthik. The concept of the film was indeed very spectacular and is in line with the kind of off-beat scripts I choose, hence Yutha Satham will always be special to me. I am glad that more people will get to watch this thriller and have a fun experience with its television premiere on Colors Tamil.”

5 companies to consider for ensuring better Indoor Air Quality in Commercial Buildings

India’s air pollution tends to worsen during winter given the higher presence of pollutants in the lower parts of the atmosphere, particularly due to firecrackers set off by people during festivals like Diwali. WHO’s World Global Ambient Air Quality database says that 9 out of 10 people on Earth breathe highly polluted air. With rising health risks and the perennial threat posed by Covid in the new normal, it is imperative that we keep an eye on the quality of air which we breathe, both outdoors and indoors.

The majority of an employee’s time is spent in the office, and poor indoor air quality, especially in the workplace, can result in low productivity and absenteeism, an increase in operating costs, and chronic health issues. In fact, improving indoor air quality in commercial office buildings has become a priority, leaving facility managers everywhere with the challenge of ensuring workplace safety for all employees. It is necessary to maintain optimal working conditions, including air, lighting, and temperature. In short, there is an increasing concern amongst businesses to optimize and maintain indoor air quality (IAQ) for benefitting employee health.

Siemens- The HVAC solutions from Siemens increase energy efficiency, productivity, and comfort and enhance building performance and indoor air quality. Siemens’ Climatix series provides a comprehensive selection of flexible and scalable HVAC control solutions. Climatix is intended for rooftop units, chillers, heat pumps, air handling units, fan coil units, high-precision air conditioning units, and district heating or cooling substations. The modular design allows for adaptability and scalability, saving time and reducing costs.

75F- 75F is the world’s leading IoT-based Building Management Systems provider. It uses IoT and cloud computing to predict, monitor, and manage different elements in a proactive way. This includes its needs for temperature, lighting, air quality, and managing energy use. 75F has come up with a new way to control HVAC zones that uses the IoT design philosophy and the power of the cloud. Through continuous commissioning, helps keep the perfect balance of heat and cold all the time. The company also has solutions for Outdoor Air Optimisation, Lighting Automation and Control, and Indoor Air Quality Management, among others.

Schneider- Schneider Heating & Air Conditioning is one of the leaders in heating, cooling, ventilation, and air quality. They are experts in maintaining, servicing, and fixing HVAC and indoor air quality equipment for homes and small businesses. Schneider is known for using the most advanced technologies and tools for HVAC systems. In commercial HVAC and refrigeration systems, valves, switches, and dampers are used to control the temperature, humidity, energy use, and pressure.

Coleman– Coleman® HVAC is one of the top companies that make heating and air conditioning products. It has a long history of making products that are both reliable and innovative. Coleman® HVAC continues to lead the industry with new products and services that are designed to solve problems. It provides HVAC equipment that helps make every environment healthier, more efficient, and more comfortable for longer. To help keep their promise of reliable comfort, they offer the best help possible, whether it’s a system retrofit, a brand-new installation, or a simple maintenance call.

Daikin- Daikin has made it easy to monitor and troubleshoot HVAC equipment from afar without a Building Automation System. Their connected technology makes managing assets easier by letting you check on your HVAC system from anywhere in the world on any connected device. With controls already set up for each application, Daikin-connected technology also makes commissioning and starting up faster. Building owners and facility managers will like being able to save a lot of money and time on travel and troubleshooting, as well as having the tools to make sure that the HVAC system is working at its best for the least amount of money.

Early HIV Detection for Better Care: Bridging the Gap with Advanced 4th Gen Rapid Tests

In India, of the approximately 2.35 million people living with HIV (PLHIV), only 1.78 million know their status.[i],[ii] Important gains made in HIV testing nationwide have also been threatened over recent years, with people facing obstacles to accessing diagnostics during the pandemic. Bridging India’s testing gap is essential to strengthen the nation’s infection response and help meet the UNAIDS’ first goal – to diagnose 95% of all HIV-positive patients, which can lead to effective treatment for those diagnosed, prompting viral suppression and an end to new HIV infections by 2030.[iii]

Early and accurate detection of HIV positive patients is important to simplify the patient journey to access the needed care as quickly as possible. More so, it prevents future HIV transmissions, with individuals who are unaware of their infection 3.5 times more likely to transmit the virus to someone else. It also reduces the risk of patient morbidity and mortality.

Dr. Ishwar Gilada, Consultant in HIV in Infectious Diseases, Unison Medicare and Research Centre Mumbai and President of AIDs Society of India, said, “Across India, the HIV burden is significant. Yet, only 79.4% of the total estimated people living with HIV nationwide have been diagnosed positive. There remains a clear need to bridge the availability of diagnostic solutions so more people can have access to testing services. By using simple and scalable HIV testing offerings like rapid point-of-care tests under robust regulatory processes, we can plug such gaps in testing. Early testing and detection of infection, especially in acute cases where individuals have higher risk of transmission owing to high viral load, is critical. This facilitates timely treatment which can support better patient outcomes, while also curbing the spread of infection.”

Innovations like point-of-care testing, which refers to rapid HIV screening performed in clinical settings by professionals, are crucial to ensure timely infection detection. It also improves access to diagnostics, empowering people to easily know their infection status with accurate results in just 20 minutes. Rapid point-of-care solutions are especially critical in a nation like India, where access to diagnostics is limited in remote or rural areas of the country, and voluntary testing is also low.[iv]

Today, point-of-care testing standards continue to evolve, with the introduction of evidence-backed 4th generation technology-based rapid tests, surpassing the previous era of 2nd and 3rd generation tests.[v] These new tests are simple-to-use and identify 28% of infections missed by current 3rd generation rapid tests, ensuring a larger segment of the population is aware of their infection status so they can swiftly access quality healthcare to manage their conditions.[vi] The test assists early detection, capable of identifying both HIV antibodies and the antigen, which can appear even 15-25 days after infection. Thus, it is more accurate in a shorter period of time. This is also crucial in blood bank screenings, where the window period of HIV detection can be almost halved.

Sunil Mehra, General Manager for Abbott’s Rapid Diagnostics business in India, commented, “Abbott is committed to scaling access of HIV diagnostic solutions to individuals at the point of care, ensuring fast and accurate results at critical points of infection. We believe that the 4th generation of point-of-care testing reflects a new standard of testing, which supports earlier detection of HIV-positive cases, even when viral load is lesser, making way for new possibilities in patient care. In India, we are supporting private and government hospitals and diagnostic centres with these next-generation tools to help address the country’s HIV burden.”

4th generation testing, equipped with high sensitivity and specificity,[vii] detects more acute infections, which account for 5 to 20% of all HIV infections among people seeking testing, compared to the previous generation of tests. This helps close the window period of detection earlier, within as early as 12 days of living with the HIV infection, as compared to a typical 20 days or later time period of detection seen by 3rd generation tests.[viii]

Thus, HIV-positive patients can be quickly identified and linked to care. The chain of transmission can also be broken, which is especially important as acute infections are associated with higher viral load and risk of transmission.

Innovation in testing is the key to supporting India’s efforts to reduce the national HIV burden, eliminate stigma, and enhance patient outcomes through access to early and appropriate treatment.