Santiago de Compostela, November 20, 2023
This month, Xunta has just awarded the final contract in the technological renewal and modernization process of the Galician Public Health Laboratory (LSPG): an ion chromatograph for the determination of sulfites.
With this latest award, the Galician Public Health Laboratory completes a total investment of almost 1.5 million euros, funded by European funds within the framework of the REACT-EU axis of the FEDER GALICIA 2014-2020 operational plan, as part of the EU response Part of measures to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Autonomous Community of Galicia decided to use these European funds to update the laboratory’s equipment as well as its information and management systems. Therefore, it was decided to use these post-epidemic recovery funds specifically to accurately improve prevention and control capabilities in the public health field. The investment will double the analytical capabilities of LSPG. Detect new pathogens and contaminants in food and drinking water.
This decision is in line with the recommendations made in the aftermath of the pandemic by European institutions and by study committees set up by different legislative chambers, such as the Chamber of Deputies and the Galician Congress, which have had an impact on the ability to strengthen systems. Epidemiological surveillance can help in the face of public health crises Establish an alert network and rapid response system.
Therefore, in 2021 the Galician Government conducted a study on the state of processes, procedures and digitalization in laboratories, identifying opportunities for improvement in four basic areas: process optimization; laboratory equipment: microbiological and physicochemical sections; laboratory information and management Systems (LIMS); and service portfolios.
Based on the analysis of the conclusions of this report and with access to European REACT-EU funding from the FEDER Galicia Operational Plan 2014-2020, various contractual documents have been carried out during the period 2022 and 2023 as part of the EU response to the coronavirus pandemic Tender.
The field of microbiology is therefore equipped with new thermal cyclers and nucleic acid extractors, and in the short term the Galician Public Health Laboratory will be able to add to its catalog of services the analysis of pathogens in water and food, such as: Legionella spp. ., toxigenic E. coli, Vibrio spp. (distinguish between Vibrio vulnificus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio cholerae), norovirus allotype IV, adenovirus and other viruses associated with gastroenteritis and HAV, Salmonella (Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium). Prior to having this equipment, the laboratory measured only Legionella pneumophila and norovirus genomes I and II in water.
On the other hand, in the field of chemistry, new liquid chromatography equipment was introduced, equipped with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer detector and another gas chromatography detector, as well as a UHPLC chromatography system with dual detectors and spectroscopic equipment. plasma. To complete the renovation and modernization of the equipment, an ion chromatograph for the determination of sulfites was now awarded. With this new equipment, new European regulatory requirements will be met and it will be possible to analyze sulfites in two matrices such as wine and fishery products (two important industries for the Galician community).
Another centerpiece of research being carried out in 2021 is Laboratory Information and Management Systems (LIMS), which can manage the entire workflow. Late last month, a contract was awarded for a new information and management system that will optimize the mechanisms for requesting analyses, receiving samples or presenting results.
Through these investments, the laboratory’s analytical capabilities have been expanded and by 2022, nearly 17,000 environmental and food samples have been analyzed, with more than 290,000 tests performed. Of these, 8% (23,231) were conducted in the field of microbiology and 268,149 (92%) in the field of physical chemistry.
Nearly 5 million yuan has been invested in construction and equipment in the past ten years
The investment in equipment and laboratory information systems (LIMS) will represent a global shift in the management of specimens and processes within Galician public health laboratories, which will increase the efficiency of an entity that has now become a benchmark With an investment of nearly 5 million euros, significant progress has been made in the field of public health in Spain.
In 2013, Lugo was chosen by Xunta to host this infrastructure for the expansion project of the provincial laboratory, increasing its area to 2,500 m2, providing it with new high-tech equipment and transforming it into the Galician Public Health laboratory.
After investing nearly 2 million euros, it was launched in January 2015. In the middle of the year, an additional new investment of 600,000 euros was added to complete technical transformation and acquisitions. 80% of these investments are co-financed by the European Union within the FEDER Galicia 2007-2013 operational plan. Subsequently, between 2018 and 2020, a further €600,000 was invested in different chromatography equipment. Finally, the European REACT-EU fund provided funding for these latest investments worth nearly €1.5 million.