BSL-2 Veterinary Laboratory opens in Yerevan

Armenia’s Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian has participated in the opening ceremony of the Veterinary Laboratory in the Erebuni settlement of Yerevan, a spokesperson to government told media.

Among attendees of the opening ceremony was Philippe Le Houerou, World Bank Vice-President for Europe and Central Asia.

The Republican Veterinary epidemiological and diagnostic center was renovated within the World Bank Program “Against Bird Flue.” The program was implemented at the expense of grants and donations equal to $1,5 million. The Center is located on a 3,200-square meter territory, each department has own laboratory; the center fully goes with international standards and meets biosafety level 2 standards (BSL-2).

The center’s works aim at security of food and diagnosis of veterinary disease; it will conduct tests and identify dangerous infections in food and animals’ organisms.

The center’s technical equipment was provided by government of Greece, the USAID, the Organization for Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the U.S. Agency for Defense Threat Reduction.