Thiruvananthapuram :

The state animal husbandry department will launch its first laboratory complex which boasts of biosafety level 2 security systems at its chief disease investigation office campus at Palode on January 20. The lab will have the standards prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The inauguration of the referral diagnostic laboratory will be followed by a science conference led by scientists from central government institutions including National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal and Southern Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (SRDDL), Bangalore.

The high-tech security systems at the new laboratory will prevent pathogens in the test samples from getting transmitted outside the lab and protect staff from animal-borne diseases like rabbis, bird-flue, kyasanur forest disease or monkey fever and anthrax. The entire expenditure in establishing the laboratory has been borne by the state government.

The new laboratory complex will house a sericulture lab which will help in confirming viral diseases that occur more frequently in the recent times and in further research and studies on them, and a molecular biology lab with most-modern diagnostic equipment. Besides there will be a residue analytical lab which can diagnose the levels of chemicals in anti-biotics and pesticides, and a biomedical incinerator, which can treat laboratory waste. There will also be a VIP guesthouse to accommodate visiting scientists and doctors.

Chief minister Oommen Chandy will inaugurate the laboratory complex at the function to be attended by agriculture minister K P Mohanan and deputy speaker Palode Ravi.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Thiruvananthapuram / TNN / January 18th, 2016