Veterinary Laboratory starts functioning as National Rabies Referral Laboratory

Kanchanpur, May 25: The Veterinary Laboratory (Animal Disease Research Laboratory) based in Dhangadhi, the capital of the Sudurpaschim Province, has been lately  assigned with the responsibility of undertaking research on and preventive activities against rabies at the national level.  With this, the facility is to be operated as the National Rabies Referral Laboratory.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has assigned the laboratory to collect suspected samples across from the country, test them, and undertake related research and studies, exploring all possible preventive measures against this viral disease. 

Prior to this, the lab's working area was limited to nine districts in the Sudurpaschim Province with undertaking research and preventive measures against zoonotic diseases including the rabies. 

With the new responsibilities, its jurisdiction has been expanded to the national level. 

According to Laboratory Chief and Senior Veterinarian Doctor Naresh Prasad Joshi, now works are at progress to manage the required advanced equipment and workforce to ensure that test based on reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), PCR and indirect fluorescent antibody test (FAT) methods. 

The facility provides 24-hour emergency services. 

Last year, in technical, and structural support from the government and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), works on enhancing physical infrastructure and structural reforms warranted to develop the lab into a national-level entity were carried out, he said, assuring the lab's advanced technical and testing capacity. 

It is noted that the World Veterinary Association has set a goal of reducing the deaths from the rabies-infected dogs to zero by 2030 and the lab is expected to play a role in achieving this goal both for the Association and in Nepal. 

According to Dr Joshi, the collection of brain samples from dead animals is itself considered highly challenging, sensitive and risky. A larger technical workforce in Nepal is yet to be well-informed and trained about this procedure. To address this gap, the laboratory has launched a virtual direct support system to make the sample collection procedures safer and more systematic. 

Joshi added that FAT method-based rabies test is globally considered a reliable and gold-standard test. The World Health Organisation has also acknowledged this method. The laboratory has now accorded top priority to rabies prevention and counselling services based on PCR and FAT methods. (RSS)