12.11 hrs.
MADAM SPEAKER: Now, the House will take up Item No. 17—Matters under Rule 377*.
Hon. Members, the matters under Rule 377 shall be laid on the Table of the House. Members, who have been permitted to raise matters under Rule 377 today and are desirous of laying them, may personally hand over slips at the Table of the House within 20 minutes. Only those matters shall be treated as laid for which slips have been received at the Table within the stipulated time.
Title: Need to upgrade the National Virology Institute, Alappuzha, Kerala and bring it at par with National Virology Institute, Pune – Laid.
SHRI K.C. VENUGOPAL (ALAPPUZHA): The National Virology Institute was founded at Alappuzha, as a part of the efforts to tackle the outbreak of water borne diseases such as Cholera, Dengue and Chikunguinea, recurring in parts of the Kerala State. The present strength of staff in the Virology Institute is not sufficient and needs to be increased for more efficient functioning. The infrastructure at the institute also needs to be improved.
Even after four months of the Government’s announcement, the functioning of this institute is still going on in an average mode. It is an important institution for Kerala and especially for Alappuzha as all types of diseases are spreading here. For diagnosis of viral infected diseases all the samples are being sent to National Virology Institute Pune, while the same institution is being run in Kerala. It is causing delay for diagnosis and remedies.
Due to lack of sufficient staff and equipments, the functioning of National Virology Institute at Alappuzha is suffering a lot. In this perspective, I request the Government to take necessary steps for setting up this Institute as a full-fledged one similar to Virology Institute of Pune with necessary research centre and facilities.
* Treated as laid on the Table.