DNA TESTING and PROFILING gaining momentum In Nepal
Aaite Tamang (41), a Dhading resident, has been suffering from a severe case of Tuberculosis (TB) for the last five years. Unable to find a proper diagnosis of his ailment in a local hospital in Dhading, he had made up his mind to seek treatment in India. But, he was advised by one of his relatives to seek DNA diagnosis in state-run Bir Hospital; so as to cut back on expenses in India. Upon careful medical diagnosis, it was proved that his ailment is due to a genetic disorder in his body. He was able to avail discounts in medical services and diagnosis in the Bir Hospital. He is currently recuperating well, thanks to early diagnosis and proper medications.
“Villagers tend to avoid medical facilities in Kathmandu, due to the expensive cost of diagnosis and treatment as well as limited knowledge of the same.” Voices Tamang.”Also, the people are fearful that they might have to spend a huge chunk of money on treatment.”
Shanta Devi (37) became a mother of a baby girl, a few months after her husband Birendra Tamang went back to Qatar. Once her husband got a whiff of this news, he returned back home for vacation and threatened to kill her unless she does DNA testing. The couple registered a case at Kathmandu district court. As per the court’s directives, DNA testing was done by National Forensic Science Laboratory, Khumaltar, Satdobato. The result proved that the baby was conceived by the couple.
In both cases, they had no idea that it was possible to do DNA testing in Nepal, and that too at much lower prices than in any Indian hospitals and research centers. They managed to test their DNA from blood and bodily fluid samples and get the complete DNA testing within less than a month time frame. Their results were positive and helped to solve their problems.
National Forensic Science laboratory started DNA profiling and testing back in 2006. While Bir Hospital started its genetic wing for DNA test in 2017. In recent years, DNA testing and profiling have been gaining momentum in Nepal in connection with the cases such as paternity tests, evaluation of genetic disorders, diagnosis of complex medical status quos, confirmation of genealogy (hereditary traits and so on. Various equipment, well-trained and well-adept medical professionals, and constant maintenance of equipment have brought forth such changes.
Before 2006, it was imperative that Nepalese request DNA Profiling and verification at the bigger, equipped, and expensive hospitals in Indian metros such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, UP, etc. But now, DNA profiling can be done in the nation’s capital Kathmandu thanks in part to the acquisition of high-performance equipment for DNA verification by Bir Hospital, National Forensic Science Laboratory, and the Military.
Unlike the pre-2006 era, DNA profiling in Nepal has been extended to complex disputes related to diseases, crimes, and paternity/ maternity; as well as species determination. Furthermore, DNA testing has been proven crucial in cases for tracking the progression of diseases such as Down’s syndrome, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), HIV/AIDs, cancer, trauma, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, breast cancer, leukemia, and varieties of tumors.
“Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Karyotyping of chromosomes, STR analysis, and Paternity/ Maternity Indexing, etc. have been extensively sought after in DNA profiling in Nepal,” explains Balram Gautam, a genetic scientist at Bir Hospital. Apart from Bir Hospital and National Forensic Science Laboratory, other private firms such as Intrepid –Nepal, Decode Genetics Lab, Center for Molecular Dynamics Nepal (CMDN), Kathmandu Center for Genomics and Research Laboratory are currently involved in DNA profiling,
“In Nepal, Bir Hospital is the only one hospital well-equipped with tools, technique, and experts to deal with Karyotyping,” claims Gautam. “The increment in DNA testing has been growing due to extramarital affairs, pre-marital affairs, and strained relationships due to migration. The married partners are coming in for DNA diagnosis here to ascertain whether the offspring are truly theirs or not,” says Gautam.
Intrepid Diagnostic Centre deals with DNA analysis for both humans and other animals for research purposes. The firm identifies itself as a state-of-the-art institute for deeper understanding and analysis of pathological diagnosis; along with molecular diagnosis, Histopathology for cancer diagnosis, and recently, fertility concerns.
Central Police Forensic Science Laboratory, Maharajgunj caters to seeing such DNA cases under its jurisdiction and as directed by the courts. International Organization for Migration (IOM) also sees and verifies DNA testing of the visa applicants vying to visit various countries for work, travel, and study.
The record book shows that Nepal Police managed to successfully sequence the DNA profiling of Rakesh Man Singh in a rape case, in 1996. Singh was the then Assistant Sub-Inspector of Nepal Police, and had denied his involvement in rape incident; until proven by DNA sequencing. Initially, under skepticism, the Police have managed to establish DNA profiling as vital evidence in such cases. Till the time of filing of this story, the number of DNA test have increased : 80+ in 2015/16, 130+ in 2016/7, and 135+ in 2017/18.
“There are 21 markers in the human body from which various samples are considered and analyzed in minute details by a team of researcher and scientist in a safe, treated environment.” Explains Nirajan Thapa, DNA unit chief at National Forensic Science Laboratory.
DNA Profiling is believed to have been introduced in Nepal by DNA diagnostic Center, USA during the late 1990s, with the establishment of its DNA unit in Nepal in 1995. From the early years of DNA profiling, Nepal has seen tremendous change in technology, approach, public performance, equipment, and technology.
Earlier, DNA sampling was taken from blood and seminal fluids, but now, DNA sampling can be taken from nails, hair, feces, teeth, bone, tissue, cells, clothes, ligature, laundry, used items, and utensils, etc.
The gene expert Shreeram Banstola claims that most of the DNA profiling is sought after at Bir hospital for cases including ‘diagnosis of viral influenza, complex diseases, Sickle cell’, and so on.
‘Unique Selling Points (USPs) of DNA profiling in Nepal is that the cost is almost three times less than any hospital in India.’ Says Banstola.
DNA profiling has been crucial in tracking hereditary traits, the proliferation of disease and any such disorder inside patients, validating rape, murder, the suicide of a person, accused persons, solving disputes and controversies related to children and family, solving visa and immigration hassles for some countries, track one’s genealogy and any physical altercations in bodies.
There is a wide array of technology and equipment used in DNA profiling such as fingerprint scanner, forensic DNA analyzer, DNA extractor, ultra-filter, spectrometer, centrifuge machine, isolator, PCR, DNA Cultivator, Virus Destroyer, test tube, advanced microscope, and scanner. The equipment cost around 8 to 10 million. There is even such technology that helps to ‘predict the progression of disease and occurrence of similar traits’ in the future.
“National Forensic Science Laboratory often collaborates with various police departments, hospitals, and research centers, immigration offices, consular and visa section of various embassies,” says Nirajan Thapa. The laboratory has been successfully able to help the security agencies pinpoint and nab the culprits in several cases pertaining to women trafficking, smuggling, murder, assaults, B & E, etc.
But still, there are the majority of citizens who aren’t well aware of cheaper, reliable, and smooth DNA analysis in Nepal; which can help to accurately pinpoint the exact causal factors of medical ailments and their medications.
