\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Houston Health Department on Nov. 20 broke ground on a 13,756-square-foot laboratory facility dedicated to infectious disease testing for the Bureau of Laboratory Services.<\/p>\n
\u201c[We\u2019re] going forward to improve the healthcare delivery for Houston and quite frankly the region,\u201d Houston Mayor John Whitmire said at the Nov. 20 groundbreaking. \u201cWe need days like today to celebrate our progress [and] a health department that is meeting its challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The project is a public-private collaboration between commercial real estate agency Amelang Partners Inc., the city of Houston and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, according to a Nov. 17 news release from the city.<\/p>\n
Located at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center<\/a> campus at 2250 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, the two-story Holcombe Lab will focus on testing for infectious diseases, including avian influenza, measles and mpox, per the release.<\/p>\n Additionally, the laboratory will track foodborne illnesses and health care-associated infections.<\/p>\n HHD Director Theresa Tran said the expansion will allow for shorter wait times for test results, broader specialized testing services and stronger support for other facilities that depend on the department\u2019s resources.<\/p>\n \u201cThis collaboration, thanks to all of you, allows the Houston Health Department to expand our operations within the VA campus, bringing cutting-edge laboratory services close to veterans and ensuring seamless coordination between the city and federal health agencies,\u201d Tran said.<\/p>\n More details<\/p>\n The facility will serve as a regional reference laboratory for 17 counties in the Texas Public Health Region 6\/5 South<\/a> and serve as a member of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention\u2019s Laboratory Response Network<\/a>, per the release.<\/p>\n The partnership is made possible through VA department\u2019s Enhanced-Use Lease Program<\/a>, which allows private entities\u2014in this case Amelang Partners Inc.\u2014to develop VA property for public benefit.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a council member at-large and a veteran\u2014I served during the Vietnam era\u2014I\u2019ve learned that real protection, whether on the battlefield or in the public service, comes from investing in things just like this,\u201d Houston City Council member Willie Davis said at the groundbreaking event.<\/p>\n Looking forward<\/p>\n