Research and innovation will create robust health research ecosystem: Mandaviya

New Delhi, Dec 14 (PTI) Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday said “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyan, Jai Anusandhan” – research and innovation will create a robust health research ecosystem and will be twin engines to drive our global competitiveness.

Mandaviya, who inaugurated five new facilities at the Indian Council of Medical Research – National Institute of Malaria Research (ICMR-NIMR) here, said “Jai Anusandhan” is a very important principle in the endeavour towards making India self-reliant.

The facilities include a test research laboratory, an innovation complex, a conference hall complex and a 300-seat Auditorium.

Mandaviya said this inauguration is “indicative of the focus of the government on research and innovation in every field of health”.

“Over the last four decades, these centres have conducted important research in many areas, including emerging and re-emerging viral Infections, diarrheal disorders, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, hypertension, diabetes, AMR surveillance, zoonotic diseases and other health problems,” said the health minister.

“These are not just buildings but temples of health that the country needs today to make its health ecosystem self-reliant,” he added.

Mandaviya said “the government is working to develop India’s health sector completely and make it self-reliant”.

Highlighting the importance of “Jai Anusandhan”, the health minister said that it would have taken months for India to get the vaccine during the time of Covid.

“But we not only developed the vaccine in the country itself, we provided the best quality vaccine at the cheapest price to the world,” said Mandaviya.

“Similarly, there are 14-15 medicines for rare diseases like Hydroxy-urea that earlier used to cost tens of thousands of rupees. Today, these medicines are made in India and cost only a fraction of the earlier amount,” he added.

The health minister said the Central government’s aim is to take India to the forefront in the field of health and scientific evidence-based treatment and noted the need for high-quality laboratories to fight the emerging variants of diseases like Covid.

Mandaviya urged the scientists, innovators and other people of the country who are developing new technologies in the field of health to use their new ideas, new thoughts, new innovations and new technologies to “fulfil the dream of New India”.

“Strengthening the ICMR-NIMR’s infrastructure is a step towards moving to malaria elimination in the country by 2030,” he said.

The health minister focused on the integration of technologies like digital health and artificial intelligence in healthcare.

He emphasized the importance of innovative use of drones for vaccine and drug delivery and the exploration of organ transfer via drones, which would signify a major leap in healthcare accessibility and efficiency.