Chief Minister Rio inaugurates bsl-3 lab at Kohima
Our Bureau
KOHIMA, May 21 2020: State Referral Biosafety Level (BSL-3) laboratory for research and diagnostic work on Covid-19 virus and other various microbes which can be transmitted by aerosols and cause severe diseases, was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio, at Naga Hospital Authority, Kohima Thursday.
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio expressed his gratitude to all the people who made it possible for setting up of the BSL-3 laboratory in the state. Rio said that it is another milestone in the state's journey towards health care and particularly to fight the novel corona virus. As the laboratory has been successfully inaugurated, he thanked the Medical Department, and the support from various ministries, agencies, scientists and doctors who made this possible.
Chief Minister also said that the stranded people who are coming back to Nagaland from different states, while everyone supports their return, they should also abide by the directives given by the government on quarantine. The only way to control and contain the spread of the virus is by running tests on quarantined people since there is no cure yet for it. Social distancing is necessary to avoid the spread of the virus.
Padma Shree, Neidonuo Angami, mentioned that BSL-3 Lab is applicable to clinical, diagnostic research or production facilities where work is performed with agents that may cause potentially lethal diseases through inhalation to the person working within it and may contaminate the surrounding without proper measures.
She also said that the basic essential features of BSL-3 laboratory include the Biosafety Cabinet, unidirectional air flow, using room pressure gradients of negative pressure; exhaust air being HEPA (highly efficiency particulate air) filtered and producers for proper disposal of Labwaste. Sensing the urgency to have a COVID -19 testing facility in the State, the State Government had approved to set up Bio Safety Laboratories - BSL level 3 in Kohima and BSL Level 2 in Dimapur.