Agartala, January 12: In a significant development, Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha and Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, virtually inaugurated four Integrated Public Health Laboratories (IPHL) in North Tripura, Unakoti, and Gomati District hospitals.
This initiative, under PM-ABHIM, aims to provide comprehensive lab services, including infectious disease diagnostics, Haematology, Clinical Biochemistry, Microbiology, Virology, and Pathology, all consolidated under one umbrella.
Speaking at the event held at Pragna Bhavan in Agartala, Chief Minister Saha, who also serves as the state’s Health Minister, emphasized the government of India’s overarching goal of ‘health for all,’ with a special focus on reaching out to tribal communities in backward areas.
He highlighted the role of these free diagnostic services in early disease detection, ensuring accessibility, affordability, and fast-quality healthcare services in remote regions.
These IPHLs, a part of PM-ABHIM interventions, aim to establish a more comprehensive system for disease testing and diagnosis.
Saha noted that these integrated laboratories can perform 147 tests, providing early and accurate diagnosis data for prevention, research, and real-time policy decisions. The IPHLs will act as hubs for providing technical support to public health laboratories and referral testing for block, subdivision, and other peripheral laboratories.
Chief Minister Saha announced the Tripura government’s plan to set up IPHLs in all eight districts, with two already established in Dhalai and South Tripura districts, soon to be functional. Two more are underway at Melaghar in Sepahijala district and Khowai district hospital in Khowai district.
Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya highlighted the historic moment of laying foundation stones for 85 healthcare projects in the North East, totaling Rs 1102 crores. He credited Prime Minister Modi for prioritizing the region’s development, shifting the perception from ‘Look East’ to ‘Act East.’
The minister emphasized the importance of health infrastructure development, low-cost reliable services, and research and development in the pharmaceutical sector to make India a global superpower.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also participated in the virtual program, reflecting the collaborative efforts for healthcare development in the North East under the visionary leadership of PM Modi.
