Achievements of Department of Health Research and ICMR

PIB, April 4, 2013
The Department of Health Research and ICMR have played significant role in the development of indigenous reagents for H1N1, indigenous vaccines for H1N1, reagents/tests for Japanese Encephalitis, dengue etc.Altogether 20 virology laboratories have been upgraded and 16 new laboratories including 14 bio safety laboratory II level and 2 bio safety III level established for working on viral diseases and TB.Asia’s first bio safety IV level laboratory has been established at National Institute of Viorology, Pune in collaboration with the Department of Science& Technology. The laboratory hasstarted working on 75 leads of potential public health importance for development and evaluation of affordable diagnostics including indigenously developed tests for diabetes, diagnostic test for TB and several other infections and cancer.Work on 30 such technologies will be completed during 2013-14. 

National Research and Environment Health (NREH) was established at Bhopal as 31st institute of ICMR. The institute will focus on long term effects of MIC exposure, health hazards due to chemical exposures and environmental pollution.Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre has been taken over by ICMR.National Centre for Diseases Informatics and Research was established at Bangalore to develop and sustain a national research data base on cancer, diabetes, CVD and stroke by using information technology for national collaborative network.New field stations of ICMR Institutes were established at Car Nicobar, Nancowry (Andaman & Nicobar Islands), Gorakhpur (UP), Alappuzha (Kerala) Rayagada and Kalahandi (Odisha) and Guwahati (Assam) to serve the health problems of the local communities.A National Clinical Trials Registry in India, an online system for registration of all clinical trials, has been established to improve transparency, accountability and accessibility in order to re-establish public trust in clinical trial data. 

An amount of Rs.10,000crore has been earmarked for the Department of Health Research and ICMR during 12th Plan (2012-2017) as against about Rs.4400 crore in 11th Plan.Multi-disciplinary research units are proposed to be set up in all 150 government medical colleges at a cost of Rs.1118 crore to have a dedicated infrastructure for research in medical colleges. More than 50 proposals have been received from 20 States so far.50 Model Rural Health Research Units are being set up in various States to transfer new technologies for early diagnosis and management of various diseases to state health services on a continued basis. Rs.245crore will be spent under the scheme. A network of viral and other infectious disease diagnostic research laboratories will be set up for handling viral diseases like TB etc. 200 district level medical labs and 48 state level labs and 6 regional labs are proposed to be established during 12th Plan at a cost of Rs.1084 crore.A new scheme is being launched to train mid-career medical teachers and scientists to develop human resource in cutting edge areas of medical and health research. 3000 students and researchers are expected to be benefited by these fellowships. 

During 12th Plan, advanced centres for research on mental health, bone health, various chronic noncommunicable diseases, health economics, policy research, food safety, etc. will be established by ICMR and DHR. 16 such centres were set upduring 11th Plan.A tribal health research forum has been established to synergise research efforts of ICMR institutes engaged in research in tribal population.Similarly, a victor science forum has been launched for pooling of research and develops coherent strategies for victor control. 

Following guidelines have been developed. 

• Prevention,management and control of Reproductive Tract Infections including sexually Transmitted Infections

• Management of Diabetes

• Management of three type of cancers (oral, buccal and stomach) 

• Revised nutritional guidelines were released. 

• Guidelines on genetically modified foods. 

• Guidelines on probiotics. 

Policies in Pipeline

• A Bill on Assisted Reproductive Technology

• A Bill on Recognition of alternate systems of medicine

• A Bill on Biomedical research on human participants

• Knowledge management Policy and e-governance 

• National Health Research Policy

• Accreditation of Health Research Institutes. 

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(Release ID :94452)