Testing laboratories that possess bio-safety certificates and have declared themselves as satisfying the bio-safety standards will be inspected by local Health Departments every three years.
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| Laboratories performing tests of infectious microorganisms harmful to human health will be put under tighter control__Photo: Internet |
Such is a salient point of Government Decree No. 103/2016/ND-CP, which is enacted to tighten control over laboratories performing tests of infectious microorganisms or medical wastes containing infectious microorganisms harmful to human health.
Accordingly, the Decree requires testing laboratories to assess the risk of occurrence of bio-safety incidents in their facilities, work out plans on prevention and remedying of bio-safety incidents, covering identifying areas where bio-safety incidents are likely to occur in their facilities and devising measures and preparing equipment and human resources for responding to such incidents; and training human resources in prevention and handling of such incidents.
Testing laboratories with high risk of infection to the community (grade-III and grade-IV testing laboratories) will have to organize annual drills for prevention and remedying of bio-safety incidents.
Upon the occurrence of a bio-safety incident, a testing laboratory will have to promptly mobilize people and equipment to remedy it under its incident prevention and remedying plan. For less serious incidents, testing laboratories will have to make written records of incident handling for archive at their facilities. For serious cases, they will have to report to local Health Departments.- (VLLF)
