K.C. Venugopal Presses Centre to Fast-Track Certification for NIV Alappuzha’s BSL-3 Lab

Quick Summary

• K.C. Venugopal, member of Parliament, has written to Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda seeking expedited certification and funding for the Biosafety Level-3 (BSL-3) laboratory at the National Institute of Virology (NIV) Kerala Unit in Alappuzha.
• The BSL-3 lab’s construction is complete, with trial runs conducted successfully from June to September 2025.
• Approval for funds from ICMR and certification from the Department of Biotechnology are pending.
• Once operational, the lab would enable in-state testing for high-risk pathogens like Nipah virus, reducing delays caused by reliance on NIV Pune.
• The laboratory faces a staff shortage, with recruitment measures reportedly underway on a contract basis.
• Initially established as a BSL-2 facility in 2008, it was upgraded and relocated to its current permanent location in Kuravanthodu in late 2022.
• The NIV Kerala Unit is involved in research on locally prevalent viral diseases and played a key role during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The establishment of a fully operational BSL-3 laboratory at alappuzha marks an important milestone towards strengthening Kerala’s public health infrastructure. By enabling quicker diagnosis of high-risk pathogens locally, this facility can substantially enhance response times during outbreaks and reduce dependency on external labs like NIV Pune. Though,bureaucratic delays over fund allocation and certification risk undermining its potential impact during critical moments.Additionally, addressing staffing shortages is crucial to ensure seamless operation once certified. Given Kerala’s vulnerability to infectious diseases owing to environmental factors and exposure risks highlighted by past outbreaks like Nipah virus transmission events or COVID surges-a well-equipped diagnostic hub like this could serve as both an immediate crisis management tool and long-term research asset for disease prevention strategies.

Read more: Published – September 18, 2025