State Referral Biosafety Level (BSL-3) laboratory for research and diagnostic work on Covid-19 virus and other various microbes which can be transmitted by aerosols and/or cause severe diseases, was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio, at Naga Hospital Authority, Kohima on 21st May 2020.
In his inaugural speech, Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio expressed his gratitude to all the people who made it possible for setting up of the BSL-3 laboratory in the state. Rio said that it is another milestone in the state's journey towards health care and particularly to fight the novel corona virus. He also expressed his gratitude to the different States that has helped in this time of crisis. As the laboratory has been successfully inaugurated, he thanked the Medical Department, and the support from various ministries, agencies, scientists and doctors who made this possible.
Chief Minister also said that the stranded people who are coming back to Nagaland from different states, while everyone supports their return, they should also abide by the directives given by the government on quarantine. The only way to control and contain the spread of the virus is by running tests on quarantined people since there is no cure yet for it. Social distancing is necessary to avoid the spread of the virus. The common platform for each and everyone of us is to fight this virus. He urged the public not to socially stigmatize the returnees and appealed the citizens to continue their support and to co-operate with the government to avoid the spread of the virus.
Padma Shree, Neidonuo Angami, mentioned that BSL-3 Lab is applicable to clinical, diagnostic research or production facilities where work is performed with agents that may cause potentially lethal diseases through inhalation to the person working within it and may contaminate the surrounding without proper measures. She also said that the basic essential features of BSL-3 laboratory include the Biosafety Cabinet, unidirectional air flow, using room pressure gradients of negative pressure, exhaust air being HEPA (highly efficiency particulate air) filtered and producers for proper disposal of Labwaste. Sensing the urgency to have a COVID -19 testing facility in the State, the State Government had approved to set up Bio Safety Laboratories - BSL level 3 in Kohima and BSL Level 2 in Dimapur.
She also added that while this facility has been set up immediately for the purpose of COVID -19 testing only, this specialized Bio safety Lab has huge Prospects in future which includes:
- Rapid Response to unidentified new infections whenever such an occasion emerges.
- Characterization of a lot of disease conditions in the State and the region. Such studies will help our medical professionals with better understanding of disease profiles and address them more effectively.
- Greater facilities in cancer and genetic research.
- Collaboration with several other research centers in the Country. This Lab can become a focal hub for research works in the NE region.
- It will also help encourage our people with scientific temperament to enter into molecular biology thereby creating a pool of qualified Human Resource besides providing working employment.
Minister of Health & Family Welfare, S. Pangnyu Phom in his speech said the making of Nagaland's first BSL-3 COVID-19 state of the art testing laboratory has faced a lot of challenges during the its construction due to the prevailing lockdown. He also gave credit to the four dedicated Research Scientists volunteers who rendered their service for the completion of the lab.
The Minister stressed that the contagious nature of COVID-19, requires no ordinary laboratory as there is no vaccine or cure, but our state has a highly specialized facility for detection and preparedness compared to that of other States which has BSL-2 labs that are upgraded and converted for COVID-19 testing. He also thanked the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology for providing the space to house the State Referral BSL-3 Lab.
The Minister, while highlighting about the setting up of the laboratory, said the work began in April 2020 which started with the lab design and layout plan but due to the Lockdown all over the country, extra ordinary logistic support was required to bring all materials which have to be made according to the need of the building and skilled manpower were also brought from different places. He also mentioned that that the Government of India help in airlifting the goods from different parts of the country through the Indian Air Force.
Lamenting on the difficulties faced during the project, the Minister said there was delay in flight landing due to weather conditions and the scientific instruments were imported from USA, Germany and Singapore. He also added that when the consignments reached Nagaland, the team faced difficulties with local logistics, such as crane, transportation and manpower.
Minister Pangnyu also mentioned that such type of work requires six months or more for a place like ours but the Laboratory was possible in about a month, with world-class instruments and containment building having the best facility in the whole of NE-India approved by ICMR to carry out COVID-19 testing with expert guidance in the development and quality check of the lab from Nagaland Institute of Science and Technology (NIST).
(Maongtemjen & Takumpula, IA)
