The Union government has taken transformative steps for healthcare innovations, and pandemic preparedness in India, said Union Health Minister JP Nadda, on Monday.

He said this while announcing the successful implementation of the 100-day programme of the Union Health Ministry’s Department of Health Research (DHR).

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Med-Tech Mitra; National One Health Mission (NOHM) for pandemic preparedness; Integrated Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (IRDLs): programme for the development of indigenous drugs for rare diseases; and Centre for evidence-based guidelines are some of the key achievements and initiatives undertaken by the DHR in the last 100 days.

“These initiatives represent transformative steps in healthcare innovation, pandemic preparedness, and the development of indigenous medical solutions, contributing to a healthier, more resilient and Atmanirbhar Bharat,” Nadda said.

Med-Tech Mitra is a joint initiative by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), developed to overcome challenges in the process of developing regulation-compliant products, their clinical validation, and scaling up.

The NOHM is an integrated approach to tackling diseases at the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health. The mission is a crucial step toward building India’s capacity to manage zoonotic diseases and pandemics.

Six of the Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs) across the country are being converted into IRDLs covering a larger domain of infectious diseases. Construction of Zonal laboratories of the National Institute of Virology (NIV) has also been initiated, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said.

As part of India’s drive towards becoming a global leader in affordable healthcare, DHR is set to launch a programme developing 12 Indigenous drugs for eight rare diseases.

The initiative will aim to drastically reduce the cost of treatment for conditions like Muscular Dystrophy and Gaucher’s Disease, making life-saving therapies accessible and affordable for the masses.

Further, inspired by India’s landmark Chandrayaan-3 mission, the “First in the World” challenge will fund 50 high-risk, high-reward innovations in biomedical research.

“This initiative epitomises India’s spirit of innovation and excellence, accelerating its march toward becoming a leader in global healthcare solutions,” the ministry said.

Another key initiative is the Centre for Evidence for Guidelines, which will help standardise medical practices nationwide, ensuring the highest standards of care.

To boost research and development, the establishment of the “Research to Action” vertical in DHR will ensure that cutting-edge health studies are seamlessly integrated into policy and practice. The DHR has also worked to boost medical education in the country.

“A total of 93 fellows have been enrolled till now for PhD in Medical research in different ICMR Institutes in the first batch of Faculty of Medical Research (FMR). And 63 young medical college faculty members have been provided fellowships for undertaking PhD programmes,” the ministry said.

“This is a big step towards strengthening the physician-scientist base in the country. In addition, 58 women scientists have been provided fellowships for undertaking health research,” the ministry said, adding that the initiatives are slated for launch in October 2024.