Kerala has implemented the Nirnaya Lab Network, a Hub and Spoke Laboratory Network, to interconnect all government laboratories across the state. The project links the labs of all government health centres and hospitals operating in 14 districts, creating a unified and efficient diagnostic network. This is the first initiative in India to establish a laboratory network based on the Hub and Spoke model.

The system categorises laboratory tests into seven key domains - basic lab tests, complex lab tests, AMR surveillance, metabolic screening, TB and cancer screening, outbreak investigation tests, and infectious disease diagnosis and surveillance. These services are made accessible to the public through Family Health Centres, ensuring that essential diagnostic facilities are available at the local level.

If laboratory tests can be accessed free of cost or at minimal charges at nearby health centres and hospitals, citizens can save both travel expenses and valuable time. With this vision, the Health Department has developed a comprehensive project named Nirnaya, connecting 1,300 government laboratories across the state under a single network. As part of the initiative, 131 types of tests can now be conducted from home.

For tests prescribed by doctors, samples will be collected from the nearest health centre laboratories. Tests that cannot be performed locally will be sent to hub laboratories for advanced analysis. The test results will be made available to patients through the e-Health portal, and can also be accessed via SMS or the meHealth mobile app. The India Post service is being utilised for the safe and efficient transport of samples.

The Nirnaya Diagnostic Lab Network marks yet another breakthrough in Kerala’s health sector. By connecting all government laboratories through a unified digital system, people are assured of faster, more affordable, and reliable diagnostic services right at their doorstep. This innovative model represents a major step forward in achieving comprehensive health security, as envisioned under the Nava Keralam Action Plan and the Aardram Mission.