The construction of the new diagnostic facility resulted not only from the need of the Institute “Torlak”, which is a unique health institution spanning multiple levels of the health system, but also from the need for the health system of the Republic of Serbia to have a biosafety level 3 (BSL3) laboratory.
The construction of the new facility is part of the Serbia Emergency COVID-19 Response Project, financed by the World Bank, which was approved in December 2020. The part of the project dedicated to establishing the new scientific diagnostic facility with BSL3 will last until June 2025.
After receiving the approval of the World Bank, “Torlak” Institute started the implementation of this project through intensive cooperation with the Project Coordination Unit of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia, which engaged the company “Mašinoprojekt” to provide technical support in the development of the conceptual solution and the preparation of technical documentation for the tender documentation.
The company “Mašinoprojekt” in cooperation with the team of the “Torlak” Institute has designed a facility with a total area of approximately 4,000 m2 which will be distributed across four levels (ground floor and three additional floors), each spanning 1,000 m2. Additionally, there will be designated garage space covering approximately 600 m2.
To actualize the project within the specified time frames and implementation deadlines, several key steps have been taken. Geotechnical assessments of the soil have been conducted, and both the conceptual design of the building and the internal room layouts have been finalized. Necessary consents from communal institutions, including water supply and electricity distribution, have been secured. Furthermore, documentation required for obtaining construction permits has been prepared and submitted.
Additionally, a comprehensive study on the social impact of the future facility, as well as an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) study, has been completed. These studies are vital prerequisites for commencing construction, ensuring a thorough understanding of the facility’s implications on the surrounding community and the environment.
As of the beginning of 2023, the construction project has been finalized, and efforts are currently underway to prepare tender documentation for both the construction of the facility and the procurement of equipment for the Biosafety Level 3 (BSL3) laboratory, including significant laboratory apparatuses.
Work on the site of “Torlak” Institute began in February 2024, when the foundation stone was laid, after the public procurement procedure for the contractor who will have to meet very strict criteria and requirements for the construction of such a complex facility.
You can find more information and relevant documents about the construction of a diagnostic research facility with a laboratory of the third level of biological safety within the Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera “Torlak” on the website of the Ministry of Health.
