Nagpur likely to get three more Covid-19 testing labs

NAGPUR: With Mayo Hospital overburdened, the Central and state government are likely to give permission for testing of swab samples for Covid-19 to three more government institutions of the city — AIIMS, Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), and Maharashtra Animal and Fisheries Sciences University (Mafsu).
At present, Mayo Hospital is the only approved lab in entire Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh and some parts of Madhya Pradesh (MP).With rise in number of suspected cases and close contacts of positive persons, Mayo Hospital is reportedly overburdened. As per public representatives and family members of patients, reports are delayed up to 24 hours or more.
Mayo Hospital has only one Real Time PCR Machine, which is required for testing of swab samples for Covid-19.
If given permission, Mafsu may come as a big relief as it has three machines, of which one has the latest technology at its state-of-the-art Centre for Zoonosis at Nagpur Veterinary College, Seminary Hills.
Deputy director (health) Dr Sanjay Jaiswal and his team inspected Mafsu’s centre on March 28 and submitted a report to the state’s public health department.
Mafsu director (research) Dr NV Kurkure and registrar Chandrabhan Parate told TOI, “Mafsu is ready to take up the challenge in larger interest of country if given permission by the government. It is our social responsibility to serve the nation and people. We have experienced staff and mechanism, which can be easily utilized for testing Covid-19 samples. We have already sent six doctors for training at Mayo Hospital a day ago.”
Dr Kurkure added Mafsu has three Real Time PCR Machines at its veterinary public health department, pathology department and microbiology department, and all can be brought to Centre for Zoonosis to begin work as per protocol of WHO and government. “Centre for Zoonosis was developed 3-4 years ago and is equipped with all types of facilities,” he said.
As per officials, the government is also likely to give permission to AIIMS situated at MIHAN and GMCH. These two institutions have one machine each, and, most importantly, treatment facilities.
Another major advantage will be that all four institutions are situated in different locations of the city. The government, in association with the district administration, can chalk out districts and area wise distribution of samples. Reports can be delivered quickly and in large numbers if all four laboratories are in service in the city.
A private establishment — Druv Pathology and Molecular Diagnostic Lab — has also reportedly applied to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for permission.