Announced six years back, the Bio-Safety Level-3 lab is still not functional in Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu.
But a lab similar to this announced at the same time for Kashmir was made functional four years back in Chest Disease Hospital Srinagar.
Two Level-3 Bio Safety labs were announced by J&K government in the year 2015, after the outbreak of Swine Flu. One lab was announced for Jammu Division at GMC Jammu and another for Kashmir Division at Chest Disease Hospital, Srinagar.
Fund of Rs 6.3 crore was released for the lab at GMC Jammu and Rs 5.63 crore was released for the lab to be established in Chest Disease Hospital, Srinagar.
Administration of Government Medical College Jammu failed to select even a firm till ending 2018 whereas lab had been fully developed in Chest Disease Hospital, Srinagar and was ready for commissioning.
It was in 2019, when GMC administration gave the task of establishing a lab to Biosafe India Limited, the company which had installed the lab in Chest Disease Hospital Srinagar. In few months more than half of the work was completed but was stopped later due to non-payment of dues.
As per reports, the current status of the lab is that all civil and mechanical work has been completed and necessary machinery has been obtained but some electrical work including installation of air conditioning system is pending.
The situation of health care system is not hidden from anyone and was clearly seen during the second wave of Covid-19. Thus some seriousness should be shown by GMC administration to get the lab installed and made functional as soon as possible.
