Management of the IRL

At the beginning of the RNTCP era, ZN microscopy was the only diagnostic technology available and STDCs were made in charge of  monitoring and ensuring quality. Since then, Laboratory services in the NTEP has been under continuous evolution and expansion. The program has expanded to use a range of technology to detect both Mycobacterium Tuberculosis as well as resistance to the various anti-TB drugs. These include LED microscopy, PCR based rapid molecular tests/ NAAT, Culture and DST. These have been increasingly scaled up and integrated into the TB Program. 

This evolution and expansion has resulted in laboratory services being a highly specialized Microbiological area. The Intermediate Reference Laboratory has evolved under the STDC as important institution in the NTEP. The IRL has made been in-charge of ensuring Laboratory services for all technologies in the region are performing at the optimum standard and quality. In this context the STDC being the over arching institution for technical assistance to the state, it has to manage the IRL and ensure that it performs as per the expectations of the program. This includes:

  1. Completion of Microscopy/ NAAT Quality Assurance activities in the region as per plan. The Framework for implementing microscopy EQA is placed in Annexure 1. 
  2. Facilitating the certification process and quality assurance of all linked C&DST Labs in the state.
  3. Co-ordinating the establishment of new C&DST labs in the state as per the needs, in consultation with CTD.
  4. Facilitating ongoing Lab Trainings at STDC
  5. Facilitating other ongoing program functions in relation to lab services, mentioned in the corresponding sections.