Port Blair, Oct 22: Dr. P. Vijayachari, Director, Regional Medical Research Centre (ICMR) has been invited by the Director General, Department of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Royal Govt of Bhutan, Thimphu to participate as a Technical Expert and impart training in laboratory diagnosis of leptospirosis to the clinicians, microbiologists/biotechnologists, public health specialists and laboratory technologists at Public Health Laboratory, Dept of Public Health, Thimphu. Dr Vijayachari accompanied by a Research Scientist has embarked on 8 days visit to Bhutan between 24th – 31st October 2014, for conducting onsite training on the diagnosis of leptospirosis. It is pertinent to mention that, as a WHO collaborating Centre for Diagnosis, Reference, Research and Training, one of the mandates of the RMRC is to establish reference laboratories in South East Asia Region, where leptospirosis is endemic
During his stay in Thimphu, Dr. Vijayachari will conduct the training workshop on leptospirosis and also provide technical assistance for strengthening the Leptospira Reference laboratory in Bhutan. The
capacity of the leptospirosis laboratories will be strengthened by imparting training with reference to laboratory diagnosis, characterization of isolates and molecular epidemiology. The WHO country office is sponsoring the training programme. Earlier, on the request of WHO, Dr. Vijayachari was instrumental in establishing and strengthening Leptospira reference and diagnostic laboratories in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Nepal.
