AIIMS Nagpur is Maharashtra's first medical college to get BSL-3 lab

Time of India

3 days ago

Nagpur: In a significant step forward for public health in Vidarbha and surrounding areas, AIIMS Nagpur will soon be home to Maharashtra's first Bio-Safety Level-3 (BSL-3) laboratory in a medical college, thanks to a tie-up with the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), New Delhi.
This cutting-edge lab will help doctors quickly detect and respond to deadly infections like Nipah, Zika, bird flu, and even viruses used in bioterrorism.
For common people, this means faster diagnosis, better protection during disease outbreaks, and stronger health systems in our region. "This BSL-3 lab will make AIIMS Nagpur a hub for detecting dangerous infections early, which is crucial to stop them from spreading," said Dr Prashant P Joshi, executive director of AIIMS Nagpur.
Currently, the only BSL-3 lab in Maharashtra is at the National Institute of Virology, Pune. Once operational, the Nagpur lab will not only serve patients but will also train microbiologists and technicians from across the state to fight infectious diseases better.
Dr Meena Mishra, who heads the department of microbiology and is the project in charge, explained, "BSL-3 labs are highly secure and are built to handle very dangerous germs.
These germs can cause severe disease and can spread from animals to humans, like Japanese Encephalitis, Mpox, or Nipah virus. With this lab, we'll be able to test and research them safely right here in Nagpur."
Unlike the existing BSL-2 lab at AIIMS, which handles common infections like dengue and Covid-19, the BSL-3 lab will work with much riskier pathogens. It will have features like airtight rooms, HEPA filters to clean the air, and specially trained staff in full protective gear.
The lab is being set up under the PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission. The NCDC has allotted Rs30 crore for it — Rs25 crore for infrastructure and Rs5 crore for equipment and testing kits. Experts from Delhi, including Sunil Bharadwaj (additional director, NCDC), Dr Ankur Garg (joint director), and Dr Aradhana Bhargava (nodal officer for the lab), recently signed the MoU with AIIMS authorities during their visit to Nagpur.
Once ready, this BSL-3 lab will become a crucial defence system against any future epidemic or bio-emergency, ensuring that people in Central India don't have to wait or travel far for testing and treatment. "This initiative strengthens India's ability to deal with public health emergencies. We're proud to bring such a facility to Nagpur," Dr Joshi added.