Setting up the central laboratory, BSL-2 lab and research facility

The hospital's central laboratory

UG-MSR 2023 lists these sections for the central laboratory of the teaching hospital:

• A common sample collection area
• Haematology
• Clinical pathology
• Serology (ELISA, CLIA and rapid tests)
• Clinical biochemistry (photometric tests, CLIA, electrolytes and blood gases)

The choice of analysers is the college's. The service laboratories of Pathology, Biochemistry and Microbiology may be placed in the medical college building with extra space provided.

Microbiology service laboratories

UG-MSR 2023 asks Microbiology to run separate service laboratories for bacteriology (including anaerobic bacteria), serology, virology, parasitology, mycology, tuberculosis and immunology. The virology laboratory must be a BSL-2 laboratory, as per NMC's notification of 3 June 2020.

For the BSL-2 lab, the Microbiology equipment schedule lists a −80 °C deep freezer with UPS, a real-time PCR machine with UPS back-up, a microcentrifuge or refrigerated centrifuge, PPE and viral transport medium. The department's general list includes a Type 2A biosafety cabinet, laminar flow, autoclave, BOD and CO₂ incubators, an automated blood culture system, an ELISA reader and washer, a colony counter and binocular microscopes.

Pathology and haematology equipment

For demonstration and the hospital's work, the Pathology schedule names items such as a cytospin, an auto stainer and liquid-based cytology; haemoglobin electrophoresis and HPLC, with flow cytometry marked desirable; an immunofluorescence microscope; conventional and real-time PCR; five-part and three-part automated cell counters and a fully automated coagulometer. For histopathology it lists microtomes, a cryostat, an automated tissue processor, embedding equipment and a grossing station.

The research facility

UG-MSR 2023 says a well-equipped research facility shall be available for all departments, with the details in its Annexure I, and lists Integrative Medical Research among the departments every college must have. The Biochemistry schedule allows some larger equipment, such as a PCR machine, autoanalyser, chromatography unit and electrophoresis apparatus, to be in the institution or elsewhere on a visit. Many colleges place such shared, high-value equipment in one central research laboratory so several departments can use it.

Planning tips

Practical points that help, beyond NMC's lists:

• Plan power back-up (UPS or generator) for freezers, PCR machines and analysers, and air conditioning where equipment needs it.
• Provide purified water, drainage and enough electrical points at each bench before the equipment arrives.
• Keep separate clean and sample-handling areas, and plan biomedical waste segregation from the start.
• Ask suppliers about installation, training, reagent supply and service support for every analyser.

Plan it with Unnat Exports

See the central laboratory, Microbiology and Pathology item lists and our analysers and laboratory equipment ranges. Build one list for all labs in the list builder, and we quote it item by item with GST.