NEW DELHI, Sept 24:
With Government initiating steps to expand research infrastructure and human resources, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today said the country will soon see a transition towards equitable distribution of R&D opportunities and greater success in resolving health issues.
Addressing scientists after presenting 51 awards instituted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for research activities, Azad said the Department of Health Research has rolled out three new schemes in this regard.
These include setting up of multi-disciplinary research units in medical colleges, a network of virology laboratories in all government medical colleges and national institutions and model rural health research units.
“We hope to see a transition in which there is an equitable distribution of research and development opportunities across the country, leading to improved outputs in terms of scientific solutions to out health problems,” Azad said.
Highlighting the progress under these schemes, he said government has approved 21 of the total 35 multi-disciplinary research units in government medical colleges. Besides, five model rural health research units have also been approved.
He said 16 new bio-safety laboratories for working on viral diseases and TB have been established during last three years and India now has more than 20 such laboratories.
To enhance capacity for control of outbreaks and viral diseases, infrastructure for diagnosis and research will be created and strengthened in 160 government medical colleges.
ICMR Awards were presented to 51 outstanding clinical and biomedical scientists for 2009 and 2010 for their work in communicable and non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health and various other medical and biomedical fields. The JALMA Trust Fund Oration award for 2007 was also presented.
While nine awardees are from PGI, Chandigarh, seven from ICMR institutions, five are from AIIMS and three each from DRDO and KGMU, Lucknow, two each from NIMHANS, Bangalore, CSIR and Sri Chitra Thirunal Institute of Medical Sciences, Trivandrum and the remaining 18 belong to other institutions. The ICMR Awards are bestowed based on the quality of knowledge generated, as judged by peers in the scientific field.
Azad said India produces human resources not only for the country but also for the world as there were more than 81,000 doctors, specialists and super specialists of Indian origin in the US and more than 75,000 of them in the UK.
He also emphasised the work done in the field of cancer and mental health and said the central government has approved funds for setting up 20 new stand-alone state cancer centres, 23 new tertiary cancer centres and strengthening of existing 27 regional cancer care centres across the country.
“With this initiative, we will have an additional 70 state of the art tertiary cancer centres in government sector, when fully established,” the Minister said.
Lauding the research initiatives, Azad said Health Ministry has launched a programme to encourage development and introduction of affordable and indigenous technologies for public health applications.
“The progress is very satisfactory with work on 30 such technologies expected to be completed by 2014,” Azad said.
The country is indigenously developing testing strips for diabetes, work on which is in an advanced stage, along with methods of mosquito control and diagnostic tests for TB, lung fluke, dengue, several other infections and cancer.
Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare A H Khan Choudhary congratulated all the awardees on their outstanding work in the field of research.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is the apex body in India for formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research and also one of oldest medical research bodies in the world.
Recognising the contribution made by biomedical scientists in various spheres of research, ICMR has instituted various awards and prizes. ICMR started the tradition of honouring biomedical-scientists in 1953 and today the 60th ICMR awards were presented. The awards recognise the contribution of young scientists as well as those who work in underdeveloped parts.
Secretary, AYUSH Nilanjan Sanyal, ICMR Director General V M Katoch, Director General Health Services Jagdish Prasad, along with awardees were present at today’s function. (PTI)
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