SCB gets high-tech molecular genomic laboratory

Cuttack: A state-of-the-art Molecular Genomic Diagnosis and Research Laboratory has come up in the Biochemistry Department of SCB Medical College and Hospital. Health & Family Welfare Secretary Pramod Kumar Meherda inaugurated the lab on Thursday.

The molecular genomic diagnosis and research laboratory is first of its kind facility in Eastern India.

SCB officials informed that HPV, the main cause of cervical cancer can be detected at the pre-cancerous stage along with the virus type. The facility will be a major boost in the detection of malaria, TB, methicillin-resistant bacterial infection in ICU and drug sensitivity within a few hours.

"We can easily monitor various diseases and can come up with patient wise drug therapy. It will be of great help in treating several diseases," said Meherda.

Earlier, the samples were being sent outside Odisha for tests while the patients had to wait for 15 to 20 days to get the report.

"Cancer is 100 per cent curable disease if it is detected at an early stage. We can now detect cancer at a pre-early stage," said Roma Ratan, Associate Professor at Biochemistry Department, SCB Medical College and Hospital.