Chhattisgarh: Integrated Public Health Labs of Pandri, Balodabazar awarded national-level quality certification

Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], November 21 (ANI): The Integrated Public Health Labs (IPHLs) of District Hospital Pandri, Raipur, and District Hospital Balodabazar have been awarded national-level quality certification under the Government of India's National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS), in Chhattisgarh, on Friday.
The NQAS framework mandates strict adherence to parameters such as cleanliness, safety, patient satisfaction, equipment calibration, biomedical waste management, record-keeping, technical quality, and staff capacity building. Both labs have excelled on every count, demonstrating the strength and discipline of Chhattisgarh's public health system.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and State Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal extended "heartfelt" congratulations to the IPHL team, comprising doctors, technicians, and staff, for this "historic" achievement.
"Congratulations to the entire health department on the IPHLs of Pandri Raipur and Balodabazaar becoming the country's first and second quality-certified Integrated Public Health Labs. This achievement reflects the broad, scientific, and structural reforms underway in Chhattisgarh's health system," CM Sai said.
The core purpose of establishing IPHLs is to ensure that patients have access to pathology, biochemistry, and microbiology diagnostics under one roof. This integrated model enhances both speed and reliability of testing while reducing dependence on costly private laboratories. Patients benefit from accurate, affordable, and timely reports at a single location--a critical service particularly for rural, tribal, and economically weaker communities.
State Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal said, "I congratulate the people of Chhattisgarh and our entire health workforce on the Pandri Raipur and Balodabazar IPHLs being certified as the country's first and second quality-assured labs. This milestone reflects the historic transformation in the state's healthcare system. The government is equipping primary and district-level health institutions with modern technology, trained professionals, and robust quality systems."
Commissioner-cum-Director Dr. Priyanka Shukla informed that NQAS is a flagship initiative of the Government of India designed to institutionalize quality improvement in public health facilities. Certification is granted only when an institution consistently demonstrates excellence across a broad and rigorous checklist. Chhattisgarh's IPHLs, she said, have shown exemplary discipline, coordination, and competence, reflecting the dedication of lab technicians, doctors, and management teams across the state. (ANI)