ICMR increasing mobile lab capacity to enhance India's outbreak response capabilities
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is in the process of adding to its Mobile BSL-3 (MBSL-3) laboratory capacity to enhance India's outbreak response capabilities, and strengthen public health delivery, especially in remote and inaccessible areas. The country currently has two of these innovative and fully indigenous mobile laboratory facilities operational in Pune and Gorakhpur.
'The MBSL-3 was successfully deployed and operationalised for the first time in response to the Nipah virus outbreak in Kozhikode, Kerala, in September 2023, and again in Malappuram district of Kerala in July 2024. The success in Kerala demonstrates the strategic advantage of such rapidly deployable and sophisticated infrastructure in tackling epidemiological challenges posed by high-risk pathogens. This 'laboratory on wheels' represents a significant advancement in outbreak investigation and public health emergency response in India,'' a senior ICMR official said.
Known as RAMBAAN, this first of its kind Rapid Action Mobile BSL-3 laboratory is an essential part of India's plan for an 'Advanced Augmented Network', and a combination of the MBSL-3 with a well-trained diagnostic team will be an asset for dealing with emerging/re-emerging disease outbreak investigations in the country, the official added.
The ICMR, in its release issued on Wednesday, said that these units were part of an initiative for diagnostic surge capacity in onsite laboratory services during outbreaks of known and unknown high-risk pathogens. The MBSL-3 laboratory is field-deployable, and was developed in partnership with the industrial company Klenzaids Contamination Controls Private Limited, Mumbai, under the Union Health Ministry's Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission.
The MBSL-3 is built on a heavy-duty Bharat Benz vehicle chassis, complaint with BS VI norms, designed to operate at extreme temperatures and altitudes, and bears a maximum load capacity 17 tonnes. It's classified as a Type-IV Rapid Response Mobile Laboratory in the WHO's Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network classification.
The laboratory is designed to maintain a negative air pressure environment, and is equipped with an advanced heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system with HEPA filters. It also features a double door autoclave and a biological liquid effluent decontamination (BLED) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) fogger system for biological waste management. The MBSL-3 was validated by ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune in 2022-2023, including onsite and on-field validation.
The MBSL-3 laboratory's work area is divided into four zones — Zone-1 (driver and outer change room); Zone-2 (shower and inner change room); Zone-3 (main laboratory); and Zone-4 (material staging and decontamination area), the ICMR said.
Key installations within these zones include biological safety cabinets, an intelligent programmable logic controller system, a dynamic pass box, and an entry-exit shower system with biometric control. The laboratory's power supply can be from direct electric supply or a diesel generator, with an uninterrupted power supply and petrol generators for back up.
Communication within the laboratory is facilitated by walkie-talkies, and real-time surveillance through CCTVs. Strict biosafety protocols, BSL-3 practices, and standard operating procedures are followed for specimen handling and processing, including the use of personal protective equipment (coveralls, double gloves, etc.).
The deployment of the MBSL-3 laboratory highlights the importance of a comprehensive checklist for the pre-deployment, deployment, and post-deployment phases, covering several aspects, including personnel health, mobilisation logistics, major installation functioning, approvals, equipment checks, and supply management.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Gazette
5 hours ago
- India Gazette
Made-in-India RAMBAAN rapid action Mobile BSL-3 Lab on wheels reaching out remote areas
New Delhi [India], June 25 (ANI): The Mobile BSL-3 [MBSL-3] laboratory is an innovative initiative of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for providing the diagnostic surge capacity for enhancing the onsite laboratory services during the outbreaks of known and unknown high risk pathogens. 'The MBSL-3 laboratory is field deployable, and was developed in partnership with the industrial company Klenzaids Contamination Controls Private Limited, Mumbai under the patronage of Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,' said ICMR This 'laboratory on wheels' represents a significant advancement in outbreak investigation and public health emergency response in India. 'The RAMBAAN, the first of its kind Rapid Action Mobile BSL-3 laboratory as an essential part of India' plan for Advanced Augmented Network, as finest example of the AtmaNirbhar Bharat. The combination of MBSL-3 and a well-trained diagnostic team will be an asset for dealing with emerging/re-emerging disease outbreak investigations in the country.' 'The MBSL-3 is built on a heavy-duty Bharat Benz vehicle chassis, compliant with BS VI norms, designed to operate at extreme temperatures and altitudes and bears a maximum load capacity of 17 tons [17,000 kgs. It is classified as a Type-IV Rapid Response Mobile Laboratory (RRML) as per the WHO GOARN RRML laboratory network classification. The laboratory is designed to maintain a negative air pressure environment and is equipped with an advanced heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system with HEPA filters,' it said. 'The MBSL-3 was validated by ICMR-NIV, Pune, in 2022-2023 which included onsite and on field validation. The MBSL-3 laboratory's work area is divided into four zones: Zone-1 (driver and outer change room), Zone-2 (shower and inner change room), Zone-3 (main laboratory), and Zone-4 (material staging and decontamination area). Key installations within these zones include biological safety cabinets (Class II A2), an intelligent programmable logic controller system, a dynamic pass box, and an entry-exit shower system with biometric control.' 'The laboratory's power supply can be from a direct electric supply or a diesel generator, with an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) and petrol generators for backup.' Explained ICMR on power backup. RAMBAAN was also deployed in response Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala. 'The MBSL-3 was successfully deployed and operationalised for the first time in response to the Nipah virus (NiV) outbreak in Kozhikode, Kerala, India, in September 2023 and again in Malappuram District of Kerala state in July 2024,' said ICMR. This innovative and fully indigenous mobile laboratory not only enhanced India's outbreak response capabilities but also strengthened its public health delivery, especially in remote and inaccessible areas. The success in Kerala demonstrates the strategic advantage of such rapidly deployable and sophisticated infrastructure in tackling epidemiological challenges posed by high-risk pathogens. (ANI)
The Hindu
8 hours ago
- The Hindu
ICMR increasing mobile lab capacity to enhance India's outbreak response capabilities
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is in the process of adding to its Mobile BSL-3 (MBSL-3) laboratory capacity to enhance India's outbreak response capabilities, and strengthen public health delivery, especially in remote and inaccessible areas. The country currently has two of these innovative and fully indigenous mobile laboratory facilities operational in Pune and Gorakhpur. 'The MBSL-3 was successfully deployed and operationalised for the first time in response to the Nipah virus outbreak in Kozhikode, Kerala, in September 2023, and again in Malappuram district of Kerala in July 2024. The success in Kerala demonstrates the strategic advantage of such rapidly deployable and sophisticated infrastructure in tackling epidemiological challenges posed by high-risk pathogens. This 'laboratory on wheels' represents a significant advancement in outbreak investigation and public health emergency response in India,'' a senior ICMR official said. Known as RAMBAAN, this first of its kind Rapid Action Mobile BSL-3 laboratory is an essential part of India's plan for an 'Advanced Augmented Network', and a combination of the MBSL-3 with a well-trained diagnostic team will be an asset for dealing with emerging/re-emerging disease outbreak investigations in the country, the official added. The ICMR, in its release issued on Wednesday, said that these units were part of an initiative for diagnostic surge capacity in onsite laboratory services during outbreaks of known and unknown high-risk pathogens. The MBSL-3 laboratory is field-deployable, and was developed in partnership with the industrial company Klenzaids Contamination Controls Private Limited, Mumbai, under the Union Health Ministry's Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission. The MBSL-3 is built on a heavy-duty Bharat Benz vehicle chassis, complaint with BS VI norms, designed to operate at extreme temperatures and altitudes, and bears a maximum load capacity 17 tonnes. It's classified as a Type-IV Rapid Response Mobile Laboratory in the WHO's Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network classification. The laboratory is designed to maintain a negative air pressure environment, and is equipped with an advanced heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system with HEPA filters. It also features a double door autoclave and a biological liquid effluent decontamination (BLED) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) fogger system for biological waste management. The MBSL-3 was validated by ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune in 2022-2023, including onsite and on-field validation. The MBSL-3 laboratory's work area is divided into four zones — Zone-1 (driver and outer change room); Zone-2 (shower and inner change room); Zone-3 (main laboratory); and Zone-4 (material staging and decontamination area), the ICMR said. Key installations within these zones include biological safety cabinets, an intelligent programmable logic controller system, a dynamic pass box, and an entry-exit shower system with biometric control. The laboratory's power supply can be from direct electric supply or a diesel generator, with an uninterrupted power supply and petrol generators for back up. Communication within the laboratory is facilitated by walkie-talkies, and real-time surveillance through CCTVs. Strict biosafety protocols, BSL-3 practices, and standard operating procedures are followed for specimen handling and processing, including the use of personal protective equipment (coveralls, double gloves, etc.). The deployment of the MBSL-3 laboratory highlights the importance of a comprehensive checklist for the pre-deployment, deployment, and post-deployment phases, covering several aspects, including personnel health, mobilisation logistics, major installation functioning, approvals, equipment checks, and supply management.
The Hindu
9 hours ago
- The Hindu
Sickle Cell Mission identifies over two lakh patients through mass screening
Ganesh V. Dante could not understand why his seven-year-old son was frequently falling ill. A traditional doctor in his village in Chandrapur, Maharashtra, had been treating the child since birth, 'but his condition never really improved.' 'It was only through screening under the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (NSCAEM), launched in 2023 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that my son was found to have sickle cell and has been getting treatment for it. He is doing much better now and has even started school,' Mr. Ganesh said. His son is among the more than 5.72 crore people who have been screened under NSCAEM so far, leading to the identification of 2.09 lakh persons with the disease and 16.3 lakh trait carriers, according to figures released recently by the Union Health Ministry. 'The goal of the mission now is to screen approximately seven crore people under the age of 40 across 17 States till 2025-26, aiming to enhance the diagnosis, treatment and care for those with sickle cell disease,' said Manisha Madkaikar, Director, Indian Council of Medical Research-Centre for Research, Management and Control of Haemoglobinopathies. She emphasised that sickle cell disease can be contained to a large extent by ensuring all pregnant women and newborns are screened and followed up for early diagnosis and timely care. 'This is the key to countering the growing numbers of patients with sickle cell,' she added. The nationwide screening, being carried out under the National Health Mission (NHM), places a particular emphasis on tribal populations and includes States such as Maharashtra, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. 'The National Sickle Cell Elimination Mission has given the guidelines. The first is universal screening — in areas with a very high prevalence of sickle cell disease, the entire population under the age of 40 is screened. Currently, the plan is to screen nearly seven crore individuals for sickle cell disease,' Dr. Madkaikar said. India carries a significant burden of sickle cell disease (SCD), particularly among tribal populations. More than 50% of cases are concentrated in States such as Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh. 'Working with tribal populations is a challenge due to their faith in traditional systems of medicine, deep-rooted fear of the modern system, lack of accessibility, and the need for timely follow-up,' Dr. Madkaikar said. She noted that Maharashtra now ensures hydroxyurea — the key medicine for SCD — reaches patients through trained frontline health workers. Sickle cell disease is a genetic blood disorder characterised by abnormal haemoglobin, which causes red blood cells to become rigid and sickle-shaped, leading to a host of health complications. While particularly prevalent in tribal communities, the disease also affects non-tribal groups. Rasmi Palassery, Consultant, Paediatric Oncologist, Haematologist and Bone Marrow Transplant Physician at Ramaiah Institute of Oncology, Bengaluru, pointed to several gaps in India's response to SCD. 'There is a need for a dynamic national registry to determine the actual load of sickle cell anaemia in our country, aggressive screening of pregnant women and newborns, and the provision of comprehensive care,' she said. 'This is vital as sickle cell anaemia is, in the end, a multi-system, chronic disorder.' 'This, coupled with the social stigma, makes families delay seeking help, as they want to hide the fact that this disease exists. India also needs specialised care centres, diagnostic laboratories, and trained staff to ensure early diagnosis and care,' she added.
