State - April 30, 2026

Maharashtra to Establish Network of Modern Virus Diagnostic Laboratories – Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

team maverick April 30, 2026

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Mumbai, April 2026 : In a significant move aimed at strengthening healthcare infrastructure in the state, a visionary initiative to establish a network of virus diagnostic laboratories has been undertaken under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

In this context, a letter was written on July 13, 2017, to the then Union Health Minister, welcoming the central government’s initiative of setting up 150 advanced virus laboratories across the country through the Department of Health Research. The letter also requested that Maharashtra be given an appropriate share in this programme.

It proposed the establishment of state-level laboratories in Nagpur—considered the geographical centre of the country—and in Mumbai, the state capital, along with approval for laboratories in ten medical colleges across different regions of Maharashtra.

Acting positively on this request, the central government approved a state-level virus laboratory at Government Medical College, Nagpur. In addition, laboratories were sanctioned at Indira Gandhi Government Medical College, Nagpur, as well as at medical colleges in Akola, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Solapur, Dhule, and Miraj.

A total funding of ₹29.21 crore was provided by the central government for this initiative. With this support, modern equipment was procured and the laboratories were made operational.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, these laboratories played a crucial role by conducting large-scale RT-PCR testing.

Furthermore, these facilities have enabled accurate diagnosis of various viral diseases. So far, a total of 40,41,689 samples have been tested, including COVID-19 (37,21,154), dengue (88,327), chikungunya (39,817), Zika (3,923), scrub typhus (7,091), influenza (27,536), HBV (1,53,180), and rotavirus (651).

This initiative has significantly strengthened Maharashtra’s healthcare system, making the state better prepared to combat future outbreaks of infectious diseases.