Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories

The Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDL) scheme was introduced by the Government of India under Department of Health Research - Indian Council of Medical Research as outbreaks of viral agents is very common in India. The Central government announced the establishment of 166 research and diagnostics laboratories in 2016. By 2019, 103 new VRDLs were established across India, taking the total count to 105.

History

There were only two apex testing laboratories in India; National Institute of Virology, Pune and National Centre for Disease Control, New Delhi. These undertook the heavy burden investigations resulting in delay of diagnosis of diseases. In order to strengthen the infrastructure for timely diagnosis of viral epidemics and continuous monitoring of existing as well as new viral strains, new diagnostic centres and institutions were sorely needed.

In 2016, the Central government decided to set up 160 virus testing laboratories across the country. These laboratories will also be equipped to handle cases of bio-terrorism.

The Department of health research of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is setting up a three-tier national network of Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs). The network is being set up under the department's ongoing research scheme called the Establishment of Network of Laboratories for Managing Epidemics and Natural Calamities.

Objectives of the scheme[1]

  1. Creating infrastructures for timely identification of viruses and other agents causing morbidity significant at public health level and specifically agents causing epidemics and/or potential agents for bioterrorism.
  2. Developing capacity for identification of novel and unknown viruses and other organisms and emerging-reemerging viral strains and develop diagnostic kits.
  3. Providing training to health professionals.
  4. Undertaking research for identification of emerging and newer genetically active/ modified agents.

Evaluation of work

The various activities of the Virology Labs will be regularly monitored and guided by the Evaluation Committee, whose findings will be reported to the DHR for information/further action.

The major monitorable targets/ indicators that will be used to review the various categories of Virology Lab.

The scheme has turned out to be hugely successful. As against two VRDL labs in whole of India till 2016; there are now 105 VRDLs operating in India.[2] It is specially important given the risks and epidemologies of current viral infections which can quickly spread across globe.

Labs

Functional VRDLs testing for COVID-19

There are 62 functional VRDL laboratories across the country capable of testing for the COVID-19 virus as of March 17.[3]

Lab and location State
Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Tirupati Andhra Pradesh
Rangaraya Medical College, Kakinada
Sidhartha Medical College, Vijayawada
GMC, Anantapur, AP
Regional Medical Research Centre, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Gauhati Medical College, Guwahati Assam
Regional Medical Research Center, Dibrugarh
Silchar Medical College, Silchar
Jorhat Medical College, Jorhat
Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna Bihar
Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh Chandigarh
All India Institute Medical Sciences, Raipur Chhattisgarh
All India Institute Medical Sciences, Delhi Delhi
BJ Medical College, Ahmedabad Gujarat
M.P.Shah Government Medical College, Jamnagar
Pt. B.D. Sharma Post Graduate Inst. of Med. Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana Haryana
BPS Govt Medical College, Sonipat
Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh Himachal Pradesh
Dr.Rajendra Prasad Govt. Med. College, Kangra, Tanda, HP
Sher-e- Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir
Government Medical College, Jammu
Government Medical College, Srinagar
MGM Medical College, Jamshedpur Jharkhand
Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bangalore Karnataka
National Institute of Virology Field Unit Bangalore
Mysore Medical College & Research Institute, Mysore
Hassan Inst. of Med. Sciences, Hassan, Karnataka
Shimoga Inst. of Med. Sciences, Shivamogga, Karnataka
National Institute of Virology Field Unit, Kerala Kerala
Govt. Medical College, Thriuvananthapuram, Kerala
Govt. Medical College, Kozhikhode, Kerala
Govt. Medical College, Thrissur
All India Institute Medical Sciences, Bhopal Madhya Pradesh
National Institute of Research in Tribal Health (NIRTH), Jabalpur
NEIGRI of Health and Medical Sciences, Shillong, Meghalaya Meghalaya
Indira Gandhi Government Medical College, Nagpur Maharashtra
Kasturba Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Mumbai
NIV Mumbai Unit
J N Inst. of Med. Sciences Hospital, Imphal-East, Manipur Manipur
Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal
Regional Medical Research Center, Bhubaneswar Odisha
SCB Medical College and Hospital,Cuttack[4]
Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry Puducherry
Government Medical College, Patiala, Punjab Punjab
Government Medical College, Amritsar
Sawai Man Singh, Jaipur Rajasthan
Dr. S.N Medical College, Jodhpur
Jhalawar Medical College, Jhalawar, Rajasthan
RNT Medical College, Udaipur
SP Med. College, Bikaner, Rajasthan
King Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research, Chennai Tamil Nadu
Government Medical College, Theni
Tirunelveli Medical College, Tirunelveli
Govt. Medical College, Thiruvarur
Government Medical College, Agartala Tripura
Gandhi Medical College, Secunderabad Telangana
Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad
King's George Medical University, Lucknow Uttar Pradesh
Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh
Government Medical College, Haldwani Uttarakhand
National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata West Bengal
IPGMER, Kolkata

References

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