The King George's Medical University (KGMU) will soon set up a diagnostic lab for newborn babies to detect diseases at an early stage and reduce waiting time.

The lab will be established in the pathology department where genetic testing will also be conducted.

A faculty member at the pathology department, KGMU, Prof. Mili Jain, under whom the lab will be set up, said, "The lab will be established at the cost of Rs 3 crore provided by the Union government and construction is likely to begin within two months. The proposal for setting up the lab was sent in 2019. Recently, it was cleared by an expert committee after several presentations."

She said, "We are planning to screen diseases like metabolic and other disorders in babies, while unborn babies will be tested for blood disorders like thalassemia, and sickle cell anemia, among others."

Jain said if a problem was diagnosed in an unborn baby within three months of pregnancy, counseling of parents would be initiated.

"This will not only help babies and their parents but also reduce the burden on the government system," she said.

Prof. U.S. Singh, head of the pathology department, said, "The lab will be dedicated to babies that will reduce the burden from other pathological labs and provide quick results. Early diagnosis enables doctors to provide treatment to babies."

The results of thalassemia, sickle cell anemia, and other disorders can be used for precision medicine.

"We will be able to analyze genes causing various blood disorders and find precise drug most suitable for treatment," he added. (KB/IANS)