BHUBANESWAR: The Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) on Monday added two specialised laboratories _ a Grade-1 virology lab and a TB culture centre _ to its already expanding disease investigation facility here. It marked the centenary celebration of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the parent body of RMRC. The two labs were inaugurated by Health Secretary Anu Garg. The labs will be of immense use to the State which is at the receiving end of public health scourges such as cholera, diarrhoea, dengue, swine flu, malaria and chikungunya. The Grade I virology lab has been equipped to deal with diagnosis of and research on important viral diseases appearing in the form of regular endemic illness. Since most viral diseases remain undetected in the region, the lab will help identify the causes and help tackle emerging infections. RMRC Director Dr SK Kar said the labs would complement the infrastructure of the Health Department in providing diagnostic services to patients and in outbreak management strategy. The virology lab has facility for serological diagnosis for antigen and antibody detection, viral DNA and RNA identification, viral load, genotyping and mutation detection as well as culture. The TB culture centre will be the second one in the State after the microbiology lab at SCB Medical, Cuttack. Besides TB organism and drug sensitivity testing, it will help in identification of drug resistance of TB in the region. Garg said RMRC’s partnership with the State Government has been phenomenal in the last few years. During every hour of disaster and epidemic, the ICMR arm has stood shoulder to shoulder with Government extending its expertise and support. Financial Advisor of ICMR Sanjib Datta, Sr DDG Arun Barok and DMET, Orissa, Dr PK Dash spoke. The RMRC will open its diagnostic centre at Rayagada on Tuesday.
Comments
0 comment