# Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories

The Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDL) scheme was introduced by the Government of India under Department of Health Research - Indian Council of Medical Research as outbreaks of viral agents is very common in India. The Central government announced the establishment of 166 research and diagnostics laboratories in 2016. By 2019, 103 new VRDLs were established across India, taking the total count to 105.

## History

There were only two apex testing laboratories in India; National Institute of Virology, Pune and National Centre for Disease Control, New Delhi. These undertook the heavy burden investigations resulting in delay of diagnosis of diseases. In order to strengthen the infrastructure for timely diagnosis of viral epidemics and continuous monitoring of existing as well as new viral strains, new diagnostic centres and institutions were sorely needed.
In 2016, the Central government decided to set up 160 virus testing laboratories across the country. These laboratories will also be equipped to handle cases of bio-terrorism.
The Department of health research of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is setting up a three-tier national network of Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs). The network is being set up under the department's ongoing research scheme called the Establishment of Network of Laboratories for Managing Epidemics and Natural Calamities.

## Objectives of the scheme

* Creating infrastructures for timely identification of viruses and other agents causing morbidity significant at public health level and specifically agents causing epidemics and/or potential agents for bioterrorism.
* Developing capacity for identification of novel and unknown viruses and other organisms and emerging-reemerging viral strains and develop diagnostic kits.
* Providing training to health professionals.
* Undertaking research for identification of emerging and newer genetically active/ modified agents.

## Evaluation of work

The various activities of the Virology Labs will be regularly monitored and guided by the Evaluation Committee, whose findings will be reported to the DHR for information/further action.
The major monitorable targets/ indicators that will be used to review the various categories of Virology Lab.
The scheme has turned out to be hugely successful. As against two VRDL labs in whole of India till 2016; there are now 105 VRDLs operating in India. It is specially important given the risks and epidemiologies of current viral infections which can quickly spread across globe.

## Labs
### Functional VRDLs testing for COVID-19

There are 62 functional VRDL laboratories across the country capable of testing for the COVID-19 virus as of March 17.
| Lab and location | State |
| Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Tirupati | Andhra Pradesh |
| Rangaraya Medical College, Kakinada | Andhra Pradesh |
| Sidhartha Medical College, Vijayawada | Andhra Pradesh |
| GMC, Anantapur, AP | Andhra Pradesh |
| Regional Medical Research Centre, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar | Andaman and Nicobar Islands |
| Gauhati Medical College, Guwahati | Assam |
| Regional Medical Research Center, Dibrugarh | Assam |
| Silchar Medical College, Silchar | Assam |
| Jorhat Medical College, Jorhat | Assam |
| Tezpur Medical College, Tezpur |
| All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna | Bihar |
| Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh | Chandigarh |
| All India Institute Medical Sciences, Raipur | Chhattisgarh |
| All India Institute Medical Sciences, Delhi | Delhi |
| BJ Medical College, Ahmedabad | Gujarat |
| M.P.Shah Government Medical College, Jamnagar | Gujarat |
| Pt. B.D. Sharma Post Graduate Inst. of Med. Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana | Haryana |
| BPS Govt Medical College, Sonipat | Haryana |
| Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh | Himachal Pradesh |
| Dr.Rajendra Prasad Govt. Med. College, Kangra, Tanda, HP | Himachal Pradesh |
| Sher-e- Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar | Jammu and Kashmir |
| Government Medical College, Jammu | Jammu and Kashmir |
| Government Medical College, Srinagar | Jammu and Kashmir |
| MGM Medical College, Jamshedpur | Jharkhand |
| Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bangalore | Karnataka |
| National Institute of Virology Field Unit Bangalore | Karnataka |
| Mysore Medical College & Research Institute, Mysore | Karnataka |
| Hassan Inst. of Med. Sciences, Hassan, Karnataka | Karnataka |
| Shimoga Inst. of Med. Sciences, Shivamogga, Karnataka | Karnataka |
| National Institute of Virology Field Unit, Kerala | Kerala |
| Govt. Medical College, Thriuvananthapuram, Kerala | Kerala |
| Govt. Medical College, Kozhikhode, Kerala | Kerala |
| Govt. Medical College, Thrissur | Kerala |
| All India Institute Medical Sciences, Bhopal | Madhya Pradesh |
| National Institute of Research in Tribal Health (NIRTH), Jabalpur | Madhya Pradesh |
| NEIGRI of Health and Medical Sciences, Shillong, Meghalaya | Meghalaya |
| Indira Gandhi Government Medical College, Nagpur | Maharashtra |
| Kasturba Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Mumbai | Maharashtra |
| NIV Mumbai Unit | Maharashtra |
| J N Inst. of Med. Sciences Hospital, Imphal-East, Manipur | Manipur |
| Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal | Manipur |
| Regional Medical Research Center, Bhubaneswar | Odisha |
| All India Institute of Medical Sciences,Bhubaneswar | Odisha |
| SCB Medical College and Hospital,Cuttack | Odisha |
| Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry | Puducherry |
| Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Puducherry | Puducherry |
| Government Medical College, Patiala, Punjab | Punjab |
| Government Medical College, Amritsar | Punjab |
| Sawai Man Singh, Jaipur | Rajasthan |
| Dr. S.N Medical College, Jodhpur | Rajasthan |
| Jhalawar Medical College, Jhalawar, Rajasthan | Rajasthan |
| RNT Medical College, Udaipur | Rajasthan |
| SP Med. College, Bikaner, Rajasthan | Rajasthan |
| King Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research, Chennai | Tamil Nadu |
| Government Medical College, Theni | Tamil Nadu |
| Tirunelveli Medical College, Tirunelveli | Tamil Nadu |
| Govt. Medical College, Thiruvarur | Tamil Nadu |
| Government Medical College, Agartala |
| North Tripura District Hospital, Dharmanagar | Tripura |
| Gandhi Medical College, Secunderabad | Telangana |
| Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad | Telangana |
| King's George Medical University, Lucknow | Uttar Pradesh |
| Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi | Uttar Pradesh |
| Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh | Uttar Pradesh |
| Government Medical College, Haldwani | Uttarakhand |
| National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata | West Bengal |
| IPGMER, Kolkata | West Bengal |