BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to push medical research in a big way, the state government on Monday announced a ‘Research Fund’ for medical colleges and institutes under the Health and Family Welfare Department.
Issuing a notification to this effect, the Health Department stated that the fund will be placed with the respective dean, principals and directors of all government medical and dental colleges and hospitals and postgraduate (PG) institutes to meet the expenditure towards research-related activities undertaken by the institutions.
A provision of Rs 9 crore per annum has been made for the purpose. Under the fund, Rs 1 crore each per annum will be provided to SCB medical college and hospital Cuttack, MKCG MCH Berhampur and VIMSAR Burla, while Rs 50 lakh each per annum will be provided to the new government medical colleges and SCB dental college, Cuttack. The PG institutes will be provided with Rs 25 lakh each per annum.
Officials said, the fund will enhance the quality of medical education by facilitating research, publications and participation of the faculty and students in seminars and conferences related to the research subjects within the country. It will help create an environment for research and innovation in health sector of the state.
Health officials said the initiative will yield both qualitative and quantitative outcomes and enable the institutes to undertake appropriate actions to improve the quality of research, medical education and the patient care in the state.
The department, however, has clarified that assistance under the research fund can be availed only for intramural research projects. The research has to be an original work with appropriate questions and methodology. Plagiarism in any form will lead to disqualification.
A committee will be formed at the college, and institute level for scrutiny and processing of applications. The fund utilisation will be monitored every three months by the selection-cum-monitoring committee, while the scheme will be reviewed annually by a committee headed by DMET. The committee, which will be having one external researcher of eminence, will assess both qualitative and quantitative outcomes of the fund.