RGCB launches veterinary lab in Kerala's Kollam, eyes statewide livestock support

Kollam (Kerala), Sep 20 (PTI) The Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB) on Saturday said it has opened its first veterinary medical laboratory services unit at Oyoor in Kollam district.

The unit, inaugurated on Friday by State Animal Husbandry Minister J Chinchurani, is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to provide a wide range of veterinary clinical services, the institute said.

It will also offer diagnostic services to the public at affordable rates.

Set up in collaboration with the Animal Husbandry Department and housed in a building provided by Velinelloor Village Panchayat, the unit aims to support livestock and poultry activities across the state.

"This facility comes as a big support to the animal husbandry sector in the state, especially for the livestock and poultry activities. We will open more such units in different parts of the state," RGCB Director Chandrabhas Narayana said in the release.

He added that the unit would, in due course, be developed into a nodal centre for research in animal husbandry and agriculture. The laboratory is equipped with modern instruments for a range of veterinary clinical tests and ensures quick delivery of results.

The services will cover the entire Kollam district, with RGCB planning to establish collection and reporting centres in government veterinary hospitals and dispensaries.

In the next phase, the research wing will offer services to prevent livestock disease outbreaks and advise on scientific precautions, in cooperation with the Animal Husbandry Department.

BRIC-RGCB is already collaborating with the Animal Husbandry Department and the Kerala Livestock Development Board on projects to enhance milk, egg, and meat production.

It is also working on research to extend the shelf life of dairy and poultry products and improve their value addition.

Referring to its public health initiatives, Narayana said RGCB, in association with the State Health and Family Welfare Department, has established medical laboratory units in all government hospitals, including the Government Medical College Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, as well as in General Hospital, Pala, and other centres in Kottayam district.

The service functions on a hub-and-spoke model, with main hospitals housing laboratories and health centres serving as collection and reporting units. "This service is available in as many as 300 centres in different parts of the state," the release said.

Additionally, the Diagnostic and Research Laboratory at RGCB’s Cochin Cancer Research Centre in Kalamassery is nearing completion. "Besides providing clinical services to patients, this facility will also serve as a cancer research centre. As per the agreement with the state government, a 30,000-square-foot space has been made available to RGCB.

The laboratory being developed will be a model for the entire country," the release added. PTI HMP SSK