Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories

2021-05-19T17:32:48Z

2409:4066:E8A:63F0:0:0:E84A:D907: /* Functional VRDLs testing for COVID-19 */

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<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dhr.gov.in/schemes/establishment-network-laboratories-managing-epidemics-and-natural-calamities|title=Establishment of a network of Laboratories for managing epidemics and Natural Calamities (VRDL) {{!}} Department of Health Research {{!}} MoHFW {{!}} Government of India|website=dhr.gov.in|access-date=2020-01-24}}</ref> ==

# 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]].
# Developing capacity for identification of novel and unknown viruses and other organisms and emerging-reemerging viral strains and develop diagnostic kits.
# Providing training to health professionals.
# 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dhr.gov.in/schemes/establishment-network-laboratories-managing-epidemics-and-natural-calamities|title=Establishment of a network of Laboratories for managing epidemics and Natural Calamities (VRDL) {{!}} Department of Health Research {{!}} MoHFW {{!}} Government of India|website=dhr.gov.in|access-date=2020-01-24}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://icmr.nic.in/sites/default/files/upload_documents/COVID_19_Testing_Laboratories.pdf|title=COVID_19_Testing_Laboratories.pdf|last=|first=|date=|website=|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200317191659/https://icmr.nic.in/sites/default/files/upload_documents/COVID_19_Testing_Laboratories.pdf|archive-date=2020-03-17|access-date=18 March 2020}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable collapsible sortable"
|-
!Lab and location
!State
|-
|[[Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences]], Tirupati
| rowspan="4" |[[Andhra Pradesh]]
|-
|[[Rangaraya Medical College]], Kakinada
|-
|[[Siddhartha Medical College|Sidhartha Medical College]], Vijayawada
|-
|GMC, Anantapur, AP
|-
|Regional Medical Research Centre, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar
|[[Andaman and Nicobar Islands]]
|-
|[[Gauhati Medical College and Hospital|Gauhati Medical College]], Guwahati
| rowspan="4" |[[Assam]]
|-
|[[Regional Medical Research Centre, Dibrugarh|Regional Medical Research Center]], Dibrugarh
|-
|[[Silchar Medical College and Hospital|Silchar Medical College]], Silchar
|-
|[[Jorhat Medical College and Hospital|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 of Medical Sciences, Raipur|All India Institute Medical Sciences]], Raipur
|[[Chhattisgarh]]
|-
|[[All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi|All India Institute Medical Sciences]], Delhi
|[[Delhi]]
|-
|[[B. J. Medical College|BJ Medical College]], Ahmedabad
| rowspan="2" |[[Gujarat]]
|-
|M.P.Shah Government Medical College, Jamnagar
|-
|Pt. B.D. Sharma Post Graduate Inst. of Med. Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana
| rowspan="2" |[[Haryana]]
|-
|BPS Govt Medical College, Sonipat
|-
|[[Indira Gandhi Medical College]], Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
| rowspan="2" |[[Himachal Pradesh]]
|-
|[[Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College Kangra|Dr.Rajendra Prasad Govt. Med. College]], Kangra, Tanda, HP
|-
|[[Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences|Sher-e- Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences]], Srinagar
| rowspan="3" |[[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]
|-
|[[Government Medical College, Jammu]]
|-
|[[Government Medical College, Srinagar]]
|-
|[[Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, Jamshedpur|MGM Medical College]], Jamshedpur
|[[Jharkhand]]
|-
|[[Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute]], Bangalore
| rowspan="5" |[[Karnataka]]
|-
|National Institute of Virology Field Unit Bangalore
|-
|[[Mysore Medical College & Research Institute]], Mysore
|-
|[[Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences|Hassan Inst. of Med. Sciences, Hassan]], Karnataka
|-
|[[Shimoga Institute of Medical Sciences|Shimoga Inst. of Med. Sciences]], Shivamogga, Karnataka
|-
|National Institute of Virology Field Unit, Kerala
| rowspan="4" |[[Kerala]]
|-
|[[Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram|Govt. Medical College, Thriuvananthapuram]], Kerala
|-
|Govt. Medical College, Kozhikhode, Kerala
|-
|[[Government Medical College, Thrissur|Govt. Medical College, Thrissur]]
|-
|All India Institute Medical Sciences, Bhopal
| rowspan="2" |[[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|Indira Gandhi Government Medical College]], Nagpur
| colspan="1" rowspan="3" |[[Maharashtra]]
|-
|Kasturba Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Mumbai
|-
|NIV Mumbai Unit
|-
|J N Inst. of Med. Sciences Hospital, Imphal-East, Manipur
| rowspan="2" |[[Manipur]]
|-
|[[Regional Institute of Medical Sciences]], Imphal
|-
|[[Regional Medical Research Center, Bhubaneswar|Regional Medical Research Center]], Bhubaneswar
| rowspan="3" |[[Odisha]]
|-
|
[[All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar|All India Institute of Medical Sciences,Bhubaneswar]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=AIIMS Bhubaneswar to get state level virus research and diagnostics lab - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/aiims-bhubaneswar-to-get-state-level-virus-research-and-diagnostics-lab/articleshow/81599386.cms|access-date=2021-03-20|website=The Times of India}}</ref>
|-
|[[Srirama Chandra Bhanja Medical College and Hospital|SCB Medical College and Hospital]],Cuttack<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-06|title=Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory Inaugurated At Cuttack's SCB|url=https://odishabytes.com/viral-research-and-diagnostic-laboratory-inaugurated-at-cuttacks-scb/|access-date=2020-11-07|website=ODISHA BYTES|language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
|[[Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research]], Puducherry
| colspan="1" |[[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]]
|-
|[[Government Medical College, Patiala]], Punjab
| rowspan="2" |[[Punjab]]
|-
|[[Government Medical College, Amritsar]]
|-
|[[Sawai Man Singh Medical College|Sawai Man Singh, Jaipur]]
| rowspan="5" |[[Rajasthan]]
|-
|[[Dr. Sampurnanand Medical College|Dr. S.N Medical College]], Jodhpur
|-
|[[Jhalawar Medical College, Jhalawar]], Rajasthan
|-
|[[Rabindranath Tagore Medical College, Udaipur|RNT Medical College]], Udaipur
|-
|SP Med. College, Bikaner, Rajasthan
|-
[[King Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research]], Chennai
| rowspan="4" |[[Tamil Nadu]]
|-
|Government Medical College, Theni
|-
|[[Tirunelveli Medical College|Tirunelveli Medical College, Tirunelveli]]
|-
|Govt. Medical College, Thiruvarur
|-
|Government Medical College, Agartala
|-
|North Tripura District Hospital, Dharmanagar
|[[Tripura]]
|-
|Gandhi Medical College, Secunderabad
| rowspan="2" |[[Telangana]]
|-
|[[Osmania Medical College]], Hyderabad
|-
|King's George Medical University, Lucknow
| rowspan="3" |[[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
| rowspan="2" |[[West Bengal]]
|-
|[[IPGMER and SSKM Hospital|IPGMER]], Kolkata
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://icmr.nic.in/ Indian Council of Medical Research, Official website]
* [http://www.dhr.gov.in/ Department of Health Research, Official website]
* [http://www.nie.gov.in/vdln/ Data Mining Center of VRDL, Official website]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories - ICMR}}
[[Category:Medical research in India]]

Bharatpedia - User contributions [en]

Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories