BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated the annexe building of the Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), Bhubaneswar and laid the foundation stone for ICMR School of Public Health and a BSL3 laboratory.
Speaking on the occasion, Mandaviya said, "The new facilities at RMRC will further empower the institute, strengthen its research capabilities and help in contributing more effectively towards identifying regional health problems."
The annexe building will house a high-end state-of-the-art laboratory for next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics facilities for undertaking studies on the genomic epidemiology of pathogens. The laboratory will help identify emerging and re-emerging diseases. Besides, it will have facilities for proteomics study, vaccine development, an e-library and a medical museum.
The ICMR School of Public Health will impart candidates with a very professional and interdisciplinary education, equipping them with the skills to explore and respond to current public health challenges. The public health academic course is affiliated with Utkal University and recognised by the Health and Family Welfare department of Odisha.
This is the second ICMR School of Public Health in the country. Similarly, the BSL3 level facility will be a major addition to capacity building in the state and the region for tackling novel and highly infectious pathogens.