NABL accreditation biggest hurdle in opening VRDL labs at medical colleges: Court asks govt to expedite process

Nagpur - The Bombay High Court on Thursday said the government can consider making operational Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDL) centres in private medical colleges for speedy testing of coronavirus infection.

Justice N W Sambre of the Nagpur bench of the court also sought to know if the accreditation for VRDL centres at private medical colleges could be expedited.

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The court also asked the National Accreditation Board and Calibration for Laboratories (NABL) to set up a devoted portal for grant of accreditation to private hospitals.

The HC was hearing a petition by Subhash Zanwar over various issues related to testing for coronavirus.

The judge noted that private medical colleges have academic staff, and with training, they can carry out coronavirus tests.

"The only impediment in making operational VRDL centers at private medical colleges is the non-grant of accreditation by the National Accreditation Board and Calibration for Laboratories because of its stringent norms," the court said.

"It is expected from the Central Government to step into this arena so as to expedite the accreditation of VRDL Centers of private medical colleges, if such request is made, or is pending with said Authority," the court said.

To the court''s query, last time about the time required to set up VRDL centres at Yavatmal, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli and Gondia government hospitals, IGM College Dean Dr Ajay Kewaliya in an affidavit said VRDL facilities at Yavatmal and Chandrapur will be operational by May 20.

The court was also informed that the Mahatma Gandhi Institute at Sewagram is likely to get approval for the operation of VRDL center within 48 hours, and samples from Wardha and Yavatmal districts can be sent there for testing.

The court also observed that the VRDL lab at MAFSU Nagpur which got operational on April 16 is testing only 40 samples and is being underutilized.

The bench asked the divisional commissioner to take stock of a number of pending samples in each of the laboratories and to pass orders to divert samples to the labs where the capacity is underutilized.

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