Team siliconindia

• NABL rolls out MELT Labs Programme to improve quality in basic medical testing
• Aims to expand access to reliable healthcare in villages and small towns
• Focuses on lab proficiency, equipment calibration, and quality assurance

The National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) has launched the MELT Labs Programme (Medical Entry Level Testing) to improve the quality of medical testing in India’s underserved regions. This initiative targets small, entry level labs that perform basic diagnostic tests and encourages them to adopt standardised quality practices.

The voluntary programme is designed to ensure that even small labs in rural areas meet essential standards, helping people in remote areas access reliable diagnostic services. By doing so, NABL aims to strengthen the last mile delivery of healthcare and reduce the gap between urban and rural medical services.

MELT Labs replaces NABL’s previous entry level scheme and introduces a more structured quality framework based on proficiency testing (PT) performance. Labs will receive recognition for a three year cycle, subject to satisfactory PT results and continued compliance verified through onsite assessments.

Only tests covered by NABL approved PT providers will be considered, and all equipment must be calibrated through NABL accredited labs. The recognition fee is Rs 15,000 for three years, excluding GST, with additional surveillance charges based on actual costs.

Also Read: Abbott Launches Dual Chamber Leadless Pacemaker System

This scheme does not apply to labs in medical colleges, corporate owned labs, or hospital labs with 50 or more beds.

By empowering small labs with a quality first approach, NABL hopes to make diagnostic services more affordable, accurate, and accessible, especially for populations in villages and small towns where such services are limited or unreliable.