AIIMS Nagpur has received approval for Rs 30 crore in funding from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), New Delhi, to establish a Biosafety Level-III (BSL-III) laboratory aimed at enhancing the detection, diagnosis and research of emerging and high-risk infectious diseases.
The proposed laboratory is expected to become operational within a year and will strengthen Maharashtra’s capacity to respond to infectious disease outbreaks. The facility will also help reduce reliance on the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, for specialised diagnostic testing.
AIIMS Nagpur Executive Director Dr Prashant Joshi said that space had already been identified for the laboratory. The sanctioned funds will be utilised for infrastructure development, while equipment procurement and staffing will be supported through separate budgetary allocations.
Focus on Early Detection of Emerging Infections
The development comes amid growing concerns over zoonotic diseases and the impact of environmental changes on infectious disease transmission.
According to Dr Joshi, increasing interaction between humans and animals, deforestation and climate change are contributing to conditions that may facilitate the emergence and spread of infections.
Dr Meena Mishra, Head of the Department of Microbiology at AIIMS Nagpur, highlighted the importance of integrating syndromic and genomic surveillance to identify potential disease outbreaks at an early stage.
Syndromic surveillance monitors unusual patterns of illness based on clinical symptoms, while genomic surveillance uses techniques such as whole-genome sequencing to identify emerging pathogens and genetic mutations.
She emphasised that identifying rising disease incidence through these surveillance mechanisms would enable health authorities to implement preventive measures before infections spread further.
Rs 17 Crore Upgrade for Infectious Disease Diagnostic Facility
Alongside the BSL-III laboratory project, AIIMS Nagpur is upgrading its existing Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) into an Infectious Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (IRDL).
The Rs 17 crore project, supported by the Indian Council of Medical Research and the Department of Health Research (ICMR-DHR), is expected to become operational within three months.
The upgraded facility will expand diagnostic capabilities beyond virology to include bacteriology, mycology and parasitology, allowing testing for a broader range of infectious diseases.
Expanding Regional Diagnostic and Research Capacity
The two projects represent a combined investment of Rs 47 crore in infectious disease laboratory infrastructure at AIIMS Nagpur.
The institution’s microbiology department is already participating in national disease surveillance programmes. According to Dr Mishra, the department has also contributed to enabling more than 250 laboratories to obtain PCR-testing status.
Once operational, the new and upgraded facilities are expected to improve access to advanced diagnostic services, strengthen infectious disease surveillance and support research activities in Maharashtra and surrounding regions.