Functioning of the advanced clinical research (ACR) laboratory, a part of which was destroyed in a fire that broke out at the Government Medical College Hospital (MCH) here, will be partially resumed on Saturday, hospital sources have said.
Mohana Krishnan, liaison officer in charge of Kerala Health Research and Welfare Society (KHRWS), an autonomous body under the Department of Health, which is responsible for running the lab, told The Hindu that arrangements were being done on a war footing to restart services of the lab.
A few electrical implements, including a large UPS and around 50 batteries, had been gutted in a fire that broke out in the early hours of Thursday.
“Essential rewiring of advanced machineries at the lab has been done and a standby UPS has been made available to operate them,” said Mr. Krishnan.
The ACR laboratory, however, would be fully operational only after carrying out repairs, including civil and electrical, he said. “That is expected to take a few weeks.”
Restrictions due to damages to the lab are expected to affect hundreds inpatients and outpatients of the hospital who depend on the lab for various examinations on a daily basis.
Nearly 50 examinations, including hormone tests and tests to confirm diseases such as cancer, are done at the lab. “Disruption in service is sure to affect the common man,” said Mr. Krishnan.
A series of subsidised and free lab testing services for under-privileged sections under various schemes will also be affected.
