Mumbai: Gujarat’s burgeoning healthcare infrastructure is today equipped with two new and one upgraded drug testing lab in Surat, Rajkot and Vadodara, informed Dr. Hemant G Koshia, Commissioner of Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA), marking a pivotal milestone in the implementation of boosting drug testing infrastructure in the state.
“With the Surat and Rajkot laboratory labs today a reality, Gujarat is poised to achieve new milestones in healthcare innovation and accessibility, setting a benchmark for healthcare infrastructure development in the region,” Dr. Koshia said.
Gujarat FDCA last year got state government approvals and fund allocations of Rs. 40 crore for the Surat lab, alongside plans for another facility in Rajkot for which the government allocated Rs. 14 crore. “Both the labs were constructed within a time span of three years. Spanning an area of 2,500 square meters, the Surat lab project is poised to strengthen the region’s medical capabilities significantly,” Dr. Koshia further informed.
Dr Koshia also stated that the laboratory in Rajkot will also add to the existing network of healthcare facilities in the state. The comprehensive expansion strategy aims to address the growing healthcare needs of the populace, ensuring access to quality diagnostic and testing services across Gujarat.
The drug testing lab in Surat will add heft to the drug testing capabilities in Gujarat. These strategic expansions, coupled with an existing lab in Vadodara, today constitute a robust network aimed at enhancing testing capabilities and ensuring the quality of pharmaceutical products throughout Gujarat.
Gujarat FDCA also boasts of state-of-the-art upgraded microbiological testing lab at Vadodara. The modernized and upgraded lab which was built at a cost of around Rs. 48 crore in May 2023 spans an area of 16, 000 square meters and is Asia’s largest lab equipped with highly controlled Class 100 Area and highly sophisticated clean rooms with Air Lock Facility.