HYDERABAD: In the near future, investigations to know new strain of infection causing viruses, communicable and non-communicable diseases, would be easy for Telangana government officials as a branch of Nation Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) would be established in the State. Investigations into all forms of infections, diseases, impact on climate on virus strains would be taken up at the centre.
Recently, officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare have inspected a site at Nacharam for construction of the centre and the State government might allot it. Officials said that soon an MoU would be signed between State health department and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which will be the first step towards establishing this centre.
Currently, if State health department officials want to know if any infection causing virus has undergone mutations, or, if a new strain is spreading in State, they send swab or blood samples to National Institute of Virology-Pune. “It takes time to send samples and get results. Rather, establishing NCDC here will lead to early diagnosis and early treatment. Which means epidemics can be controlled from spreading throughout a community or locality. Climate and environment changes influence virus and at the centre, different strains of virus can be identified, cause for variation in strains and its characteristics can be studied,” said Dr Anuradha Medoju, regional director, Regional Office for Health and Family Welfare.
The process of land allotment and construction will begin after the MoU is signed between the State and Centre. The official added that establishment of NCDC in the State will also create jobs. Joint director of Epidemics Cell Dr G Subbalaxmi said that research work and genomic studies will be taken up at the centre.
“After NCDC is established here, we can quickly check if new strain of virus is spreading in the State. For instance, number of swine flu cases increased in summer of 2017. When samples were sent to NIV-Pune, we got to know virus strain changed from Hong Kong strain to Michigan strain. All this can be found out here,” Dr Subbalaxmi said.