Govt to start network of regional BSL-3 labs to brace for future pandemics

The government of India is working towards developing four virology regional biosafety labs BSL-3, and ICMR-NIV Pune will be steering the project and research work. These labs will work as regional labs and ICMR-NIV Pune will look after their research work, official sources told ANI.

At the time of any disease outbreak, it’s important to step up quick surveillance and ensure timely diagnosis, added the sources.

The centre lab will be at Jabalpur, the Northeast lab will be at Dibrugarh, the lab for the North will be at Mohali and the South will be in Bangalore.

President Droupadi Murmu is likely to lay the foundation stone of one of the labs in Bangalore on September 27.

“These labs will be physical labs and will be useful for future preparedness if any disease outbreak or pandemic is reported in future as strengthening of lab infrastructure is crucial and will help spread and detection of virus faster. The project of these labs comes under the PM Ayushman Bharat Health infrastructure Mission (PM- ABHIM),” said an official source. ANI