SAMBALPUR: The much-awaited zonal drug testing laboratory at Kainsir in Sambalpur city is going to be functional by the end of this year. Work on the laboratory’s building has been completed. The staff required to make the lab functional have also been appointed. The lab staff comprises a principal scientific officer, senior scientific officer and six junior scientific officers. The team of eight officials will oversee all the operations of the drug testing lab.
Principal scientific officer Debasis Panda said most of the machines and equipment have been procured. Some advanced equipment including high-performance liquid chromatography and dissolution testing apparatus will be procured shortly. “We are hopeful that the laboratory will be functional by the end of next month.”
Once functional, the laboratory will serve as a vital hub for testing drug samples from 10 districts of western Odisha. Apart from drugs, testing of antibiotics, cosmetics and vaccines can also be conducted at the lab. The quality control test of almost every medicine available in the market can be ensured through this facility.
Official sources said generally, samples are collected randomly from medicine shops across the region at regular intervals for quality testing and ascertaining authenticity. In the absence of a testing facility in the region, medicine samples are being sent to Bhubaneswar and due to this reason, there is often delay in receiving test reports. However, the problem will be resolved after the facility becomes operational here.
The land to set up the laboratory in Sambalpur was sought in March, 2017. After the land was finalised, foundation stone for the project was laid on February 1, 2019. The progress of the project was affected due to several reasons including the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.
