In a major decision for Jammu and Kashmir, the North Zone Unit of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Institute of Virology (NIV) is currently being established in Jagti, situated in the Nagrota area of Jammu. The upcoming institute, under the aegis of the Prime Minister’s Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), has a project cost of Rs 45 crore. The primary objective is to fortify the public health infrastructure comprehensively, enabling a robust response to future pandemics and outbreaks. This forthcoming North Zone NIV Unit is poised to feature state-of-the-art biosafety level 2 and 3 laboratories, facilitating diagnostic testing support, surveillance, and research.
This proclamation stands as a momentous epoch for the Jammu and Kashmir region, heralding not only advantages for the medical fraternity but a transformative force poised to redefine the landscape. Originally slated for establishment in Chandigarh, the North Zone Unit of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Institute of Virology (NIV) now finds its locus in Jammu, overcoming the impediment of a land dispute. In the expansive panorama, where the regal AIIMS takes form on one frontier, the emergence of the North Zone Unit adds another layer, positioning Jammu as a paramount medical nucleus in the Northern Region. Amidst these colossal governmental ventures, the approval of multiple medicities further amplifies Jammu’s ascendancy. The Jagti township in Nagrota, adorned with the distinction of hosting IIT and IIM, now proudly accommodates this prestigious North Zone Unit. These collective endeavours augur a plethora of economic and holistic developmental strides in the peripheries of Jammu City. The North Zone Unit is poised to revolutionise diagnostic capabilities, obviating the need to dispatch samples to external laboratories. Simultaneously, the introduction of novel postgraduate streams promises to be a boon for aspiring medical professionals. Commendations are duly warranted for the authorities of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for their expeditious provision of the requisite land and astute negotiations in favour of the UT.
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