| Animal facility in Maulana Azad college not ready yet
Researchers, students can"t proceed with experiments A facility to keep animals for research and experiment at Maulana Azad Medical College has been shut for several months. Then it had asked the college authorities to stop all activities at the facility and renovate it within three months. Students are also unable to proceed with their studies as not many animals are available for dissection. A team of officials from the Animal Welfare Board and the government's ethics committee visited the college last December. "The issue is not just renovation but shortage of staff too. According to the committee, norms on maintaining proper cages for animals and sanitation were violated. There is nobody to manage the entire facility," said a faculty member of the pharmacology department. The committee found algae in the cages and animals were kept in unhygienic conditions as well. But it has been over five months and the building is yet to begin functioning again. MBBS and MD students also use the animals for dissection as part of their professional courses. The facility, which comes under the pharmacology department, caters to the requirements of the department's researchers who conduct drug trials before being certified for human consumption. Currently, only a few rats are available in the facility, far less than the requirement of the college, to which hospitals such as GB Pant and Lok Nayak are also attached. "The facility is under renovation and such a project takes time," said Dr A K Aggarwal, dean of the college. |
Tuesday 15 May 2012
Animal facility in Maulana Azad college not ready yet
