Food and Nutrition Laboratory
Background:
The core mandates of the Food and Nutrition Laboratory (FNL) is to conduct food surveillance on food safety and nutrition. As foodborne diseases are increasingly being reported in the country, food poisoning is listed as one of the notifiable diseases in the country and are reported through event-based surveillance and are notified immediately. In addition, the laboratory participates in the investigation and response of foodborne outbreaks in the country. Basic and applied research in the field of food and nutrition are also conducted by the laboratory.
Testing Capacity:
- Analysis and detection of indicator organism and pathogens in the food samples
- Testing of physical parameters (pH and moisture content)
- Quantitative Iodine test in salt and urine samples
- Environmental assessment (Microbial air quality)
Ongoing Activities:
- Food safety surveillance
- Food Borne Disease Outbreak Investigation
- Nutritional Deficiency Outbreak Investigation
- Landscape Analysis of Trans fatty acid in Bhutan
- Thiamine level amongst the neonates at JDWNRH Pediatric ICU
- Iodine elimination sustainability study
- Determining the vitamin deficiency for the glossitis reported amongst the students
Who do we work with/Projects:
- Ministry of Health
- BAFRA, Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Forest
- School Feeding Program, Ministry of Education
- World Health Organization
National Water Reference Laboratory
Background:
The National Water Reference Laboratory (NWRL) is the lead institution and reference laboratory to monitor Drinking Water Quality in the country. The core mandate of the NWRL is to conduct surveillance and ensure safe drinking water quality in the country. Furthermore, the laboratory also strengthens the capacity to monitor Drinking Water Quality in the country, and conduct assessment of the compliance with Bhutan Drinking Water Quality Standard, 2016 by service providers.
Testing Capacity:
- Detection of thermotolerant coliforms
- Physical analysis of drinking water
- Chemical analysis of drinking water
Ongoing Activities:
- Urban drinking water quality Surveillance
- Rural drinking water quality Surveillance
Who do we work with/Projects:
- World Health organization
- National Environment Commission
- Ministry of Works and Human Settlements
- Ministry of Health
National Drug Testing Laboratory
Background:
With increasing incidence of substandard and falsified medical products in the developing countries of Southeast Asia where institutional capacity in regulation, inspection and law enforcement is inadequate, there is a critical need to regulate and test the quality of medical products in the country before and after market authorization in the country. As per Section 12 of “The Medicines Act of Kingdom of Bhutan 2003”, Drug Testing Laboratory was established under RCDC in 2010 to ensure quality, safety and efficacy of the medical products in the country.
Testing Capacity:
- Uniformity of weight/Mass for Tablets and capsules
- Dissolution Test
- Friability test
- Hardness Test
- Disintegration Test
- Sterility Test for Sterile products
- pH of Liquid dosage forms
- Assay by UV-Visible Spectrophotometer/ High Performance Liquid Chromatography/ Titration
- Microbiological Assay
- Loss on Drying
- Identification Test
- Content Uniformity
Ongoing Activities:
- Annual Drug Quality Monitoring and Surveillance
- Drug quality analysis of samples forwarded by Drug Regulatory Authority, Ministry of Health and other agencies
- Identification of unknown samples forwarded by Bhutan Narcotics Control Authority
Who do we work with/Projects:
- Drug Regulatory Authority
- Bhutan Narcotics Control Authority
- Ministry of Health
National Toxicology Centre
Background:
Poisoning presents a significant public health concern in the country due to the existence of diverse natural toxins including wild mushrooms, aconite, other wild plants, chemicals, and snakebites. The National Toxicology Centre has a poison information unit and a toxicology laboratory. The core mandate of the centre is to provide information of the toxins to the population and healthcare providers. In addition, the centre also conducts surveillance and toxicovigilance services of the toxicant exposure in the community for public health interventions.
Testing Capacity:
- Provide information of toxicants to the population and healthcare workers
- Analysis of toxic trace heavy metals in the biological and environmental samples by ICP-OES and CVAAS
- Detection and identification of unknown toxins using GC-MS
- Qualitative analysis of toxic alcohols
Ongoing Activities:
- Conduct surveillance related to poisonings for public health interventions
- Risk assessment and toxicological evaluation of new products in the country
- Generate scientific evidence via research related to toxicology
Who do we work with/Projects:
- World Health Organization
- Ministry of Health
- Ministry of Agriculture and Forest(National Mushroom Centre, National Plant Protection Centre, National Biodiversity Centre)