Govt. Committed to Improving Funding for Health Research

The Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Shri Ghulam Nabi AzadGhulam Nabi Azad has emphasized the need for robust and vibrant public health research system for dealing with the challenges of public health in the country.

Terming health research as the brain of health system, Shri Azad underlined the Government’s commitment to promote health research by up scaling the infrastructure and providing a conducive environment for research.

Speaking after giving away the ICMR awards here today, Shri Azad appreciated the efforts made by India Council of Medical Research and exhorted the scientist a do a lot more for the betterment of health of common man in our country. Detailing the various contributions of ICMR Shri Azad specifically mentioned the Council’s work in the areas of tuberculosis, indigenous rotavirus vaccine, HIV vaccine against sub-type C.

The two vaccines have completed phase I trials in India and there is promise of having a vaccine against this dreaded disease, the Health Minister said. Shri Azad also expressed happiness over the initiation setting up of a BSL 4 Facility in Pune which is the highest level of bio-safety lab in the world and will be the first of its kind in India.

Shri Azad also mentioned that ICMR should play an active role in realizing the potential of stem cell research and its technology in modern therapeutic and regenerative medicine. Although India remains totally opposed to reproductive cloning owing to the doubtful nature of its safety success utility and ethical acceptability, therapeutic cloning can be considered on case to case basis.

“A ‘Draft guidelines for Stem Cell Research/Regulation’ on regulatory aspects of stem cell research and its applications prepared by ICMR will be very useful in this regard”, Shri Azad added.

Speaking on the occasion Minister of State Shri Gandhiselvan said that in the wake of growing challenge of non-communicable disease ICMR faces new challenges which will require considerable up-gradation of its material and human resources.

Secretary, Health Research Dr. V.M. Katoch said that ICMR is committed to encourage science. The ICMR Awards represent the spirit of science. However, he lamented that there are some categories of research which do not attract many nominations. He said ICMR will continue to work to give its input in the public health policies and supporting the research initiatives and infrastructure in the country. (EOM)