KU institute to get Rs260m to set up DNA laboratory

The Sindh Health Department will provide Rs260 million to the University of Karachi’s International Centre of Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) to establish a forensic DNA and serology facility for the province.

The provincial administration had been looking for various options, including cooperation of the Punjab government, to set up a forensic DNA lab after the superior courts ordered that Sindh should have its own DNA and serology facility.

But the health department finally signed an agreement on Monday with the ICCBS. According to the MoU, the government would provide Rs260 million to the KU institute for strengthening the forensic DNA and serology facility at its Jamil-ur-Rahman Centre for Genome Research, which works as part of the Dr Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research.

The agreement was signed under the supervision of Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho in a special ceremony organised at her office. Additional Chief Secretary Dr Usman Chachar and ICCBS Director Prof Dr Iqbal Choudhary signed the MoU.

The health minister congratulated both parties, saying that the health department is focusing on the frontiers of technology to facilitate the criminal and civil justice system.

Dr Choudhary also congratulated the minster, the additional chief secretary and other officials for their efforts to establish a modern laboratory that would support the modernisation of the justice system in Sindh.

According to the memorandum of understanding, the provincial government would designate the ICCBS as the focal centre for forensic DNA and serology analysis as well as for training in forensic serology and DNA analysis, notifying the staff trained from the institute as forensic analysts or experts.

All the analysts would take an annual proficiency test in accordance with the standards, and on successfully passing the test, they would be allowed to analyse case work.