CUTTACK: Cracking the mysterious chronic kidney disease (CKD) that has affected hundreds in Narsinghpur-Badamba block of Cuttack district will be top priority of the Model Rural Health Research Unit (MRHRU) that has begun to take shape at Tigiria in the district.
The State Government is set to sign an MoU with Union Department of Health Research for establishment of the MRHRU by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
Land for the research facility to be anchored by the Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), Bhubaneswar, has already been allotted and construction will get underway soon.
The `8.5-crore project will strive towards conducting health and epidemiological research directed at major problems afflicting the population in the region and also facilitate smooth technology transfer for better healthcare delivery at the grassroots. The facility will have research scientists, technicians, multi-tasking staff and a highly equipped laboratory. The local medical college and the State Government machinery will be partners in the programme.
“Though mentored by RMRC, the MRHRU will function with active involvement of the medical colleges and the State Government. The objective is to identify health issues including disease patterns and prevalence, morbidity factors, societal climate and behavioural aspects impacting health in the region.
The information will enable devising region specific health intervention strategy to not only prevent diseases but also control them more effectively,” Director of RMRC Dr SK Kar said.
The RMRC has, in fact, begun readying research protocols covering different aspects of community health in the region.
Along with prevalence of diabetes, anaemia and other disease patterns, Narsinghpur, the CKD hotspot of Odisha, will be a major focus area of the entity, Dr Kar said.
The unexplained phenomenon has more than 30 villages under Narsinghpur and Badamba in its grip. Over 400 persons have been detected with CKD. The problem is so acute that in some villages, every household has patients suffering from CKD.
With several studies failing to establish the cause of the phenomenon, the administration has strengthened screening mechanism for early detection of the disease in the community. The patients are provided free treatment and support services.
Healthy Development
The State Government is set to sign an MoU with Union Department of Health Research for establishment of the MRHRU by Indian Council of Medical Research
The local medical college and the State Government machinery will be partners in the programme
The facility will have research scientists, technicians, multi-tasking staff and a highly equipped laboratory
The `8.5-crore project will strive towards conducting health and epidemiological research directed at major problems afflicting the population in the region