Centre To Set Up Odisha-Level Virus Research Lab At AIIMS-Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: The Union Health Ministry has selected AIIMS, Bhubaneswar to set up a state-level Virus Research & Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL).

The proposed lab will be launched at the hospital’s Microbiology Department under a Central scheme for “Setting up of Nation-Wide Network of Laboratories for Managing Epidemics and National Calamities”.

As the State VRDL, AIIMS, Bhubaneswar will now be enabled for timely identification and genetic study of viruses of public health importance including novel and unknown, emerging/ re-emerging viral strains.

Realising the high risk faced by the country due to emerging/re-emerging viral infections and limited capacity for timely detection of such viruses, the Department of Health Research/ICMR took a decision of enhancing the country’s capacity for early identification and diagnosis of all viral infection of public health importance.

This initiative has been rolled out on approval of the VRDL Scheme by the Union Cabinet to set up a chain of VRDLs across the country, as per a release by AIIMS, Bhubaneswar.