GMC to upgrade swine flu testing laboratory

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 21

The local Government Medical College (GMC) has proposed to upgrade its swine flu testing laboratory, which will enable it to conduct tests related with 24 different kinds of virus.

The college is also working to get the lab recognized from the Union Health Ministry. The swine flu lab at the college started working around two years ago, but there has been a delay in getting the requisite recognition.

Presently the laboratory is competent to diagnose 16 kinds of viral diseases. Officials of the college said a proposal to upgrade the lab would be prepared soon. It would be sent to the Union Health Ministry for approval, they added. They said the approval would help in increasing the manpower and funding required for the lab.

Principal of the Government Medical College, Dr BS Bal, said, “Earlier, due to absence of any lab in the region all samples were sent to the PGI, Chandigarh, or private labs in Delhi. If the college lab is upgraded it will not only benefit the residents of the state, but also the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.”

He said last year the Microbiology Department of the college had conducted a survey of various water-borne diseases prevalent in different parts of the state. The upgradation of virus testing lab would be a boon for the people, he added.