Nagaland’s BSL-3 lab completed; ICMR’s approval pending

Construction activities for installation of Biosafety Level (BSL)-3 lab at Naga Hospital Authority Kohima are seen in this photo tweeted by Nagaland H&FW Minister, S Pangnyu Phom on April 22. (File Photo)

Morung Express News
Kohima | May 10

The Biosafety Level (BSL)-3 laboratory at Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK) has been completed few days ago and is awaiting approval from ICMR, a state health official informed today.

The BSL-3 in NHAK is completed and the documentation to the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), which is the consultant agency of the labs, is awaited for approval, Secretary, Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) Kesonyü Yhome told The Morung Express on Sunday.

The Indian Journal of Medical Research (IJMR) states that validation document includes commissioning reports of all major equipment, important Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of laboratory workflow, equipment use, and engineering controls (AHU filters changing and operating records and main engineering controls), maintenance (servicing, calibration and validation), decontamination and emergency protocols and other SOPs.

Health experts have pointed out on the requirement of high-level quality of work, materials, construction and diligent following of protocols and cautioned that, if the requirements are not met, it could lead to a potential hazard. However, if done properly, it would also be the safest place in the midst of an outbreak.

MoU signed for maintenance
When enquired if the state government has entered into any contractual agreement, Yhome divulged that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) has been signed with Thermo Fisher Scientific for a period of three years with two years free maintenance of the facilities.

Thermo Fisher Scientific, Guwahati, has been hired as the construction agency of the BSL-3 and BSL-2 in Kohima and Dimapur respectively. With its headquarters for India in Mumbai, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has branches spread all over the country and 50 other countries and provides nationwide network of equipment service resources with a one stop solutions on chemicals, consumables, equipments, life science and microbiology products.

It was also informed that Thermo Fisher Scientific has developed Standard Operating Procedures as per the ICMR protocol.

‘Multi-Specialty Team’ for the labs
Since BSL-3 lab has many components, experts have also recommended that there should be a ‘multi-specialty team’ of a dedicated team with a technical team involved with the requisite expertise – microbiologist, engineers, technicians, support staffs and maintenance person.

On being asked who would be the team members of the BSL-3 lab, Yhome said, the team includes three Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory (BSc in MLT), two janitors and three security guards, while the Principal Director of Health & Family Welfare would be the overall in-charge of the facility by designation.

While a prominent scientist has strongly advised on the use of quality of materials for setting up of BSL labs, Dr Nyanthung Kikon, State Nodal Officer of IDSP asserted that all the materials for construction of the labs have been procured from Mumbai and are of the best quality.

To this end, he stated “ours are better much better than the ones in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram etc” as materials are of high quality.