Dimapur, August 30 (MExN): The Department of Laboratory Sciences, CIHSR (Referral Hospital) has dedicated multiple new equipments in its laboratory. The department consists of Biochemistry, Hematology, Clinical Pathology, and Microbiology.
The new equipments dedicated are: Microbiology – Cepheid GeneXpert for TB/MDR TB; Biochemistry – Dry chemistry by Johnson & Johnson for Routine Biochemistry tests; Hematology – ACL Elite fully automated for Coagulation tests; Hematology – Sysmex XT 1800 I, 5 parts auto loader for Complete Blood count.
During the dedication programme, Dr. Clement Momin, ENT surgeon and Medical Superintendent, CIHSR gave a brief speech on the need for providing state of the art laboratory facilities at affordable rates to patients of Nagaland. He also mentioned the importance of qualified staff, ongoing laboratory accreditation, and routine quality control activities in the laboratory to ensure quality services are provided, a press release informed. He also commented on the progress of the new ‘Laboratory Block’ the institute has invested in, which is expected to finish soon.
Kakhangchung Meme Panmei, MSc in Clinical Microbiology, Department Supervisor spoke on the new machines and their benefits. He explained that the installation of automated Dry chemistry, Hematology and ACL Coagulation analyzers will help perform tests with more accuracy, speed and most importantly release less waste into the environment. Many patients, he said, will also benefit since the automated analyzers can also perform multiple rare tests which are presently sent outside Nagaland for analysis.
He gave much importance to the GeneXpert MTB/RIF and stated that the machine is a real time PCR, which can detect Tuberculosis (TB) and also drug resistance, which is a matter of increasing concern in Nagaland, the release said. The report can be generated as early as 2 hours, thus ensuring early treatment initiation and avoiding multiple visits to the hospital. This machine not only detects TB from sputum samples but also from extra pulmonary (other than the lung) samples like CSF (fluid from the brain), fine needle aspirates, pus, pleural fluid (fluid from the layer covering the lung), ascetic fluid (fluid from the abdomen), lymph node biopsy etc.
In addition to TB detection, the machine can also detect HIV and Hepatitis C viral load which are important tests for the management of these diseases, owing to the high prevalence in Nagaland.
