Patna: The first HIV viral load testing laboratory in the country was inaugurated at the Microbiology Department of Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) on Monday.
This is funded by the National AIDS control organization (NACO).
Inauguration of the Lab, Director of the Society Control Project AIDS State Bihar Anshul Agarwal said this new facility will help in assessing the burden of viruses in patients suffering from HIV to provide the right care line.
This lab will provide a free viral load assessment.
“The Antiretroviral Care Center (ART) located in all districts will send their samples to this lab which has an assessment capacity of 100 samples in turn.
If there are many samples, the testing capacity will be increased by double the daily shift,” Anshul said.
There are no individuals or organizations in addition to the art center that will have the freedom to send their samples for testing in this lab.
Although now this lab will only serve HIV patients, the test area can be widened for hepatitis B and C samples after certain customization in medical devices, he said.
Head of the Department of Microbiology PMCH, Dr.
Ranjan Kumar Shrivastav, said this lab would prove a gift in microbiological investigations and provide the actual status of viral load in HIV positive patients.
PMCH Medical Inspector Dr.
was Thakur and and the Principal of Dr.
VP Choudhary, in addition to Bsacs NK Gupta and Rajesh Kumar officials, present on that occasion.