Kerala has been troubling to facilitate testing and doing research on viruses for decades. But not anymore! Viruses will be no longer a problem as the first phase of the country’s first Institute of Advanced Virology is inaugurated by the chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in February.
The deadly Nipah virus found in Kozhikode accelerated the movement to set up the IAV in the state capital, at the Bio 360 Life Sciences Park nearby Thonnackal. IAV is affiliated to Global Virus Network which has 45 centres of excellence in 29 countries. According to the health experts, more than a dozen of zoonotic diseases are widespread in Kerala due to different reasons.
GVN senior adviser, Dr MV Pillai said that the institute will be connected to the global network of virologists and research centres of 29 countries. So, detection of the new viruses will be discussed gloabally and the prevention of spreading the virus diseases like Nipah will be introduced on time.
At the initial stage, IAV will have eight divisions and it is expected to start functioning in january 2019 with biosafety level 3 laboratory and labs with BSL-2 facilities. The foundation stone was laid on May 2018. A meeting chaired by the chief minister Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan reviewed the construction of the building block in the first phase of the project and the main building block would be completed by July.
The meeting also decided to appoint an internationally reputed scientist as the director of the IAV. The faculty and physicians will undergo the training and guidance of a European centre until IAV becomes as a full-fledged excellence centre.