Viral diagnostic lab for IGGMC okayed

NAGPUR: The Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMC) finally managed to get the Viral Diagnostic and Research Laboratory (VDRL) from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The lab was sanctioned following a guarantee by the state government that it would take responsibility of the laboratory completely after five years when the council stops financial aid.
ICMR is giving a grant of Rs 1.29 crore for the VDRL for first five years. The project had been pending for sanction with the ICMR as the state government had not signed a MOU accepting that it would provide financial as well as other support for maintaining and running the laboratory. The ICMR has granted the lab after state directorate of medical education and research (DMER) signed the MOU with ICMR a few months back. ICMR had okayed VDRL in principle in August 2013.
The lab to be set up in 1500 sq ft on the fourth floor of the new multi-utility building at IGGMC. It will have facilities for serological or blood related tests as well as molecular tests like the polymerase chain reaction for diagnosing viral diseases. “It will help in better management of epidemics like dengue, chikungunya, Japanese encephalitis, rota virus, hepatitis and others,” said the college dean Dr Prakash Wakode.
The principal investigator of the project Dr Sunita Gajbhiye, lecturer in microbiology, will head the project while Dr Dilip Gedam would be the co-investigator. ICMR is giving such labs to medical colleges across the country to develop a better network for diagnosis of viral diseases at the time of sudden outbreaks as well as for encouraging post graduate students to take up related research projects. “We no longer will have to send the samples to cities like Pune and Mumbai for diagnosis of diseases like dengue which have become common in the region. It will also improve our preparedness to tackle viral epidemics,” she said.
It will be another few months before the lab becomes functional as the college is yet to begin procuring equipment for it.