Shillong, Aug 18: The Pasteur Institute Shillong has secured national accreditation for both its Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory and Regional Blood Centre making it the first for public healthcare in the state in compliance with National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories and National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers standards.
The institute functions under the Meghalaya Directorate of Health Services Medical Education & Research (DME&R).
An official statement issued by the directorate on Tuesday said the Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory at Lawmali, Shillong has been accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) under ISO 15189:2022 – “Medical Laboratories: Requirements for Quality and Competence.”
The accreditation, valid from July 27, 2026 to July 26, 2030, certifies the lab’s competence in Molecular Diagnostics, including Real-Time PCR-based testing for Mycobacterium Tuberculosis and Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria across blood, CSF, tissue, sputum, body fluids and other biological samples.
Simultaneously, the Regional Blood Centre at the institute has been accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH), a constituent board of the Quality Council of India. The accreditation is for compliance with NABH standards on Blood Banks/Blood Centres and Transfusion Services, and is valid from July 23, 2026 to July 22, 2029.
The directorate described the achievement as a landmark for the state’s public health infrastructure. The dual accreditation places Pasteur Institute among a select group of government laboratories in the region meeting globally recognised ILAC-MRA-backed quality benchmarks and national healthcare quality standards.
The statement said that such accreditation goes beyond certification. It involves rigorous, independent validation of testing accuracy, staff competence, equipment calibration, biosafety protocols and overall quality management systems.
This, officials said, will directly translate into safer and more reliable diagnosis and treatment for the people of Meghalaya.
It added that quality accreditation strengthens public confidence in government healthcare, reduces diagnostic errors, ensures traceability and consistency of results, and enables continuity of care through internationally benchmarked protocols.
The recognition also opens avenues for participation in national health programmes, referral networks and collaborative research that require accredited testing standards.
The DME&R acknowledged the sustained vision and support of the Directorate for making the accreditation possible.
Credit was also given to the doctors, scientific officers, technical staff and support personnel of the Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory and Regional Blood Centre for their adherence to quality protocols, documentation and commitment to patient safety during the extended assessment process.
