First molecular diagnostic lab in private sector in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram  :

Gone are the days we used to send blood samples to Virology Institute in Pune and wait for the results to confirm the infectious diseases. Now the tests can be done at your door step that too at affordable rates.

NIMS Medicity has set up the state’s first Molecular Diagnostic Lab in the private sector. “Several diseases are going undetected since we are not having proper diagnostic facilities. Many of the infectious diseases have become seasonal in Kerala and we are not worried why it has become endemic here. Hence there is a need for proper evaluation of the blood samples we collect. This lab would be catering to this need of the patients,” said Dr P S Shareek, Infectious Disease Consultant at NIMS Medicity.

The lab has been set up with molecular diagnostic facilities DNA sequencing based technologies, and gene therapy facility. This advanced biotechnology centre will also provide platform for doctors and researchers to work on their novel concepts and innovative ideas that can be immediately implemented.

The academic wing of the biotechnology wing will coordinate with doctors and researchers to support them with wet lab and computation work to materialise the innovative concepts. “It has been found that 99% of the fever cases reported in the private sector are tabbed as viral fever. However, there is no effort from us to find out what the exact virus was behind the fever and whether any mutation has occurred over the years for this virus. A comprehensive diagnosis can help in finding the exact behaviour of the virus and how it is acting on the patients. This lab has been equipped to find the root cause of the behaviour of the virus,” said Dr Shareek.

Even though the research is the main focus of this centre, the NIMS Medicity is also planning to conduct tests for the patients at affordable rates to confirm their disease. “If it costs Rs 25000 to test a blood sample , we are planning to introduce it here at much affordable rate such that the test result can be made available on the same day for the patient,” he said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> Chennai News> Thiruvananthapuram / Rajiv G / TNN / October 24th, 2016

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