Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (FMT), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhopal has expanded its medico-legal toxicology activities with inauguration of Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) facility in the forensic toxicology laboratory of the department on 1stSeptember, 2023.
TLC is a form of versatile chromatography technique which is used for the separation and identification of biochemical metabolites or constituents of common poisons, such as insecticides and other drugs consumed by the patients, from biological samples like blood,urine,gastric aspirate, etc. of the patients. The technique has been started so that it can be used for detection of poison in cases of poisoning and for autopsy of medico-legal cases associated with poisoning. This is being done for the first time in any of the AIIMS. For doing the TLC, the department has formulated SOPs, work sheet, the requisition and reporting formats.
The inaugural ceremony began with formal plaque unveiling and ribbon opening by the chief guest Shri Sudhansh Pant, IAS, Secretary, MoHFW, GOI in presence of Dr. Jaideep Kumar Mishra, ICAS, Additional Secretary & Financial Advisor, MoHFW, GOI, Ms. Ankita Mishra Bundela, IAS, Joint Secretary, PMSSY, MoHFW, GOI along with Prof. Dr. Ajai Singh, Executive Director& CEO, AIIMS Bhopal and Prof. Dr. Arneet Arora, Head, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, and other faculties and residents from various departments of AIIMS Bhopal.
Dr Atul S Keche delivered a brief address highlighting the importance of TLC as well as emphasized regarding good documentation and how it supplements the management of poisoning cases by medical doctors. If the suspected poison is known then it can be run with the available matching control and poison consumed can be confirmed. If the poison is identified then, it will help the treating doctor in administering the specific treatment along with the specific antidote if available for a particular poison.
Prof. Dr. Ajai Singh, Director, AIIMS Bhopal appreciated the Departments' effort in establishing the Toxicology lab and its functional status. The Department of Forensic Medicine's TLC Services werepraised by him. Prof. (Dr.) Ajai Singh congratulated the Department of FMT on the achievement and also shared the significance of implementing medico-legal laboratory services in the state of Madhya Pradesh by AIIMS Bhopal. He also advised the young residents and researchers of the department to use the TLC Service for better learning and also for taking the subject to better heights.
The event was coordinated by Dr. Atul S Keche, Associate Professor;Assistant Professor Dr Niranjan Sahoo, Dr Mrinal Patnaik and Dr Suhail Allikkal, Junior Residents, from the Department of FMT, AIIMS Bhopal.
