Bathinda, April 20 -- In two months, the Shaheed Bhai Mani Singh Civil Hospital in Bathinda will house an Integrated Public Health Laboratory (IPHL), bringing nearly 150 diagnostic tests under one roof at significantly lower costs, sparing patients the need to visit different private labs. For patients who are currently forced to travel outside or rely on expensive private facilities, the new lab within the hospital complex will mean easier access, faster testing and quicker reports, all in a single location. The state-of-the-art, three-storey facility, being set up under the Prime Minister Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission with financial support from the Punjab government, is expected to be ready by May 31, officials said. The IPHL will offer services in microbiology, haematology, clinical biochemistry, clinical pathology and molecular biology, along with advanced investigations such as cardiac and cancer markers, hormone and vitamin assays, iron studies, and water testing to detect micro-level contamination. Senior medical officer Dr Arun Bansal said the IPHL will benefit patients because samples for prescribed tests will be taken at a common complex, eliminating the need for them to rush to multiple spots. He said construction of the new lab complex was at an advanced stage and the hospital was likely to get possession by May 31. Bathinda Urban MLA Jagroop Singh Gill said the project will help patients save both time and money. "With a full team of lab technicians, a microbiologist and other professionals, the lab will significantly enhance disease detection, surveillance and diagnostic capabilities," he added....