Chennai: The Australian government has invested four million Australian dollars for a joint study, along with Indian researchers, into the long-term health effects of Covid-19 and its early detection, the Australian Industry, Science and Technology Minister announced.

The Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF) is financing six new projects, ranging from farming technology to coronavirus detection.

The agriculture projects focus on developing risk management systems to protect farmers from disasters associated with climate change and demonstrate how food-drying technology using renewable energy can reduce pollution in the food-processing sector.

Apart from new technologies for early detection of Covid-19, the researchers are focusing on the longer-term effects of the virus on the heart and lungs of patients who have recovered.

Australian Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said she was pleased that work in these important areas would be able to continue after the Covid-19 pandemic had caused significant delays this year.

“This latest funding will enable Australian and Indian researchers to contribute to the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including in crucial screening and diagnostic testing”, the Minister said.

“As a result of our shared commitment to finding answers through science and technology, India and Australia have tackled a number of shared challenges since the AISRF was established in 2006, with important progress made in areas including agriculture, energy and health,” the Minister said.