Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: For remarkable contribution in disease detection and laboratory research, 25 National Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs) across the country were felicitated in New Delhi on Thursday. Among them, 8 laboratories were placed in the Gold Category, which included the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory of Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), the only institution from Maharashtra to achieve this rank. This recognition has brought national acclaim to GMCH.
At the VRDL Conclave 2025 held in New Delhi, the award was presented by union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel, to the Dean of Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Dr. Shivaji Sukre and Head of the Department of Microbiology, Dr. Jyoti Bajaj-Iravane. They accepted the certificate and gold medal on behalf of the institution.
There are around 100 such laboratories at medical college level across the country. Of these, 25 were evaluated at the Delhi Conclave. Four laboratories secured first place with 90 marks and received the gold medal. GMCH’s NABL-accredited VRDL lab was among them. During the early days of the Covid-19 outbreak, the city had no testing facility. With the efforts of Dr. Jyoti Bajaj-Iravane, the VRDL lab for swab testing was started at GMCH, enabling same-day Covid test results.
GMCH’s previous achievements
GMCH’s former Dean and Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dr. Kanan Yelikar, was conferred the prestigious Dr. B. C. Roy Award by President Pranab Mukherjee. On the global stage, Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dr. Srinivas Gadappa represented India at the World Health Organization (WHO). At the beginning of the Covid outbreak Head of the Medicine Department, Dr. Meenakshi Bhattacharya was recognized across Maharashtra for her treatment protocols and patient management strategies.
Institutions from Maharashtra in the Silver Category:
Dr. Vaishampayan Memorial Government Medical College, Solapur
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Nagpur
Kasturba Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Mumbai
Government Medical College, Miraj
Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas (G. S.) Medical College & King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital, Mumbai
Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune
Photo Caption:
Dean of Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH),Dr. Shivaji Sukre and Head of the Department of Microbiology, Dr. Jyoti Bajaj-Iravane receiving the award from union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel, at the VRDL Conclave 2025 held in New Delhi.