Chhattisgarh Achieves Two Historic Milestones in Public Health Services

Raipur, November 20

In a significant leap for public healthcare, Chhattisgarh has secured two national distinctions that mark a transformative moment in its health services. The Integrated Public Health Labs (IPHLs) of District Hospital Pandri, Raipur, and District Hospital Balodabazar have been awarded national-level quality certification under the Government of India’s National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS). While the IPHL at Pandri has been recognized as the first quality-certified IPHL in the country, Balodabazar’s IPHL has been certified as the second such laboratory nationwide—and the second in the state. This milestone underlines Chhattisgarh’s rapid progress in expanding scientific, reliable, and high-quality diagnostic services across its public health network.

This achievement is the result of sustained efforts by the State Government to strengthen healthcare quality. Between January 2024 and November 2025, 832 health institutions across Chhattisgarh have undergone rigorous assessment and certification on national parameters, covering even the most remote regions, such as Chintagufa in Dantewada. It is noteworthy that, for the first time in the country, such a large and systematically organized network of laboratories has been evaluated and accredited in any State — a development that has earned Chhattisgarh a distinct and prestigious position at national level.

The certification followed detailed evaluations carried out by expert assessors nominated by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. The Pandri IPHL was evaluated on September 10, 2025, and the Balodabazar IPHL on September 11, 2025. Both teams conducted comprehensive reviews covering patient-centric services, quality control measures, workflow efficiency, safety protocols, documentation, and timely reporting. The Pandri IPHL received an impressive 90% score, while Balodabazar IPHL secured 88%, both of which fall under the “excellent” category of national health quality standards.

The core purpose of establishing IPHLs is to ensure that patients have access to pathology, biochemistry, and microbiology diagnostics under one roof. This integrated model enhances both speed and reliability of testing while reducing dependence on costly private laboratories. Patients benefit from accurate, affordable, and timely reports at a single location—a critical service particularly for rural, tribal, and economically weaker communities.

Pandri’s IPHL has emerged as the state’s model lab, conducting over 3,000 tests daily and offering more than 120 types of diagnostic services. Operating on a hub-and-spoke model, it processes samples received from multiple Community Health Centres and Primary Health Centres across Raipur district. During emergencies, the lab has also handled samples from medical colleges and neighbouring districts, demonstrating both its capacity and statewide utility.

Similarly, the Balodabazar IPHL is rapidly establishing itself as a key diagnostic hub, performing 1,000–1,200 tests per day and offering over 100 types of diagnostic services. With advanced equipment, trained technicians, and efficient turnaround times, the lab has significantly eased access to diagnostics for thousands of patients, particularly those from rural and tribal areas who previously had to travel long distances or rely on private facilities.

The Pandri IPHL has been recognized earlier as well at the national platform. Teams from more than 13 states have visited the lab to study its functioning. Moreover, the Government of India has featured the image of the Raipur IPHL on the cover page of its comprehensive guidelines for the establishment of IPHLs nationwide under PM–ABHIM, adopting this model as a benchmark for the national IPHL network.

The NQAS framework mandates strict adherence to parameters such as cleanliness, safety, patient satisfaction, equipment calibration, biomedical waste management, record-keeping, technical quality, and staff capacity building. Both labs have excelled on every count, demonstrating the strength and discipline of Chhattisgarh’s public health system.

Commissioner-cum-Director Dr. Priyanka Shukla informed that NQAS is a flagship initiative of the Government of India designed to institutionalize quality improvement in public health facilities. Certification is granted only when an institution consistently demonstrates excellence across a broad and rigorous checklist. Chhattisgarh’s IPHLs, she said, have shown exemplary discipline, coordination, and competence, reflecting the dedication of lab technicians, doctors, and management teams across the state.

Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai and Health Minister Shri Shyam Bihari Jaiswal have extended heartfelt congratulations to the IPHL teams—doctors, technicians, and staff—for this historic achievement.

*Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai*:
_*“Congratulations to the entire health department on the IPHLs of Pandri Raipur and Balodabazaar becoming the country’s first and second quality-certified Integrated Public Health Labs. This achievement reflects the broad, scientific, and structural reforms underway in Chhattisgarh’s health system. Quality healthcare is our government’s highest priority, and this national certification has strengthened the credibility and resilience of our public health services. The IPHL model is expanding reliable diagnostic access to rural, tribal, and remote regions, and in the coming years, all district hospitals will be upgraded on this modern, standardised framework.”*_

*Health Minister Shri Shyam Bihari Jaiswal*:
_*“I congratulate the people of Chhattisgarh and our entire health workforce on the Pandri Raipur and Balodabazar IPHLs being certified as the country’s first and second quality-assured labs. This milestone reflects the historic transformation in the state’s healthcare system. The government is equipping health institutions from primary to district levels with modern technology, trained professionals, and strong quality systems. The IPHL model has made diagnostics faster, more accurate, and affordable—strengthening healthcare access to. rural and remote communities. We will now expand this high-quality model across the state, positioning Chhattisgarh as a leading state at national level in terms of healthcare-quality standards.”*_