Construction work of two-storey facility in final stage
Wide range of specialised tests to be available under one roof
Kapurthala, August 20
Kapurthala is set to receive a major boost to its public healthcare infrastructure with the Integrated Public Health Laboratory (IPHL) at Civil Hospital, being established at a cost of Rs 1.25 crore. The facility would become operational next month, with construction of the dedicated laboratory building now in its final stage.
The two-storey Integrated Public Health Laboratory, being established under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) would have an area of around 5,000 square feet, with 2,500 square feet each on the ground and first floors. The state-of-the-art facility would house important diagnostic sections on both floors. The ground floor would include Hematology and Biochemistry, PCR Room, Master Mix Room, Extraction Room, Molecular Diagnostic Virology, Cold Room, Sample Collection, Store, Donning and Doffing areas, besides other supporting facilities. The first floor would have Cytology and Serology, Culture Media, Myco Bacteriology, Bacteriology, Washing and Sterilizing facilities and a Clinical Pathology Laboratory, along with staff and other supporting areas.
Deputy Commissioner Akash Bansal said that the establishment of the IPHL would significantly strengthen diagnostic services available to residents of district. With several specialised tests and laboratory services available at the same facility, patients would no longer have to move from one place to another for different investigations, thereby saving valuable time, effort and expenses. He added that the facility is being established with the objective of providing accessible, quality and comprehensive laboratory services closer to the people. Its operationalisation would also strengthen the capacity of the district health system for disease surveillance, timely diagnosis and effective public health interventions.
Civil Surgeon Dr Rajeev Parashar said that the IPHL would play a key role in strengthening public health services by facilitating the diagnosis of infectious and other diseases, speedy investigation of outbreaks, microbiological testing for bacteria, viruses, etc and a range of hematology, biochemistry and molecular tests, including PCR-based investigations. He said that the facility would also provide crucial diagnostic support to hospital and health centres, thereby strengthening the district’s capacity for early detection, timely treatment, disease surveillance and effective public-health interventions.
Executive Engineer Vishal Jangral said that the construction work was progressing smoothly and the building was expected to be completed by mid-September, following which the facility would be made operational
