South India’s first infectious disease research, diagnostic lab to come up in Bengaluru: Minister

Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister for medical education Sharan Prakash Patil said on Friday that Bengaluru will get South India’s first infectious disease research and diagnostic laboratory.

According to him, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has chosen Bangalore Medical College & Research Institute (BMC&RI) as its centre to establish Infectious Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (IRDLs).

In a press release issued on Friday, Patil said the credibility and service approach to all sections of society in the state made ICMR choose BMC&RI.

He also said that now the research on infectious diseases will take place in Bengaluru laboratories, there will be no need to send samples to other states for confirmation.

The central government is taking steps to establish IRDLs in medical colleges across states, with a focus on virology research and diagnostic laboratories (VRDLs) related to bacteriology, mycology, and parasitology, stated the release.

The minister also inaugurated Moniz cath lab suite, a state-of-the-art DSA Cath Lab at the trauma & emergency care centre (TECC) in the Victoria hospital on Thursday. The cath lab has a ward with eight beds in addition to pre-cath and post-cath wards.