In a significant effort to enhance awareness and understanding of the critical infectious disease, Melioidosis, AIIMS Bhopal successfully organized Training on the "Laboratory diagnosis of Melioidosis" Friday.

The event was conducted amongst 20 clinical microbiologists and research scientists from around 10 different government and private sector institutes of Madhya Pradesh. Melioidosis, a serious infectious disease caused by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, has gained attention in Madhya Pradesh due to its endemicity in the region, particularly in rural population. Department of Microbiology at AIIMS Bhopal has been regularly diagnosing cases of Melioidosis for the past few years and has diagnosed around 80 cases in the past 5 years.

The disease which is traditionally known to be present in the coastal regions of India has high mortality rate with majority of cases found in rural areas particularly among individuals associated with agricultural activities.

This potentially fatal disease can manifest with a wide range of symptoms, making early diagnosis crucial. Awareness and understanding of Melioidosis are vital for healthcare professionals and clinical microbiologists, as efforts to combat the fatal disease.

The distinguished guests of the event were Dr. Harpreet Kaur, Scientist 'G' at ICMR, New Delhi and Dr. Chiranjay Mukhopadhyay, who is Professor at Kasturba Medical College (KMC) Manipal.

The success of this program reflects AIIMS Bhopal's commitment to fostering continuous learning and addressing pressing health concerns. By Equipping medical professionals with the necessary knowledge and resources, the program aims to contribute to the prevention and early detection of this potentially fatal infection.

Prof. (Dr.) Ajai Singh, Executive Director AIIMS Bhopal congratulated the team for conducting the training program successfully.