New Delhi, Sep 6 : Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Tuesday laid the foundation stones of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) branches in six states – Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh. “Disease surveillance plays an essential role in the prevention as well as controlling and managing.
In this regard, the regional branches of NCDC will play an essential role.They will give a boost to the public health infrastructure with rapid surveillance, quick diagnosis and monitoring of illnesses, which will allow for early interventions.” stated Mandaviya, as she laid the NCDC foundation stone.
Mandaviya said that the government was committed to enhancing the health infrastructure across the nation.”There is an evolution from a token approach to a more holistic approach in which states work together in the spirit of cooperative federalism that is collaborative and cooperative to ensure affordable, quality and accessible healthcare for everyone,” he said.
In announcing the goal of the Prime Minister to improve health infrastructure throughout the nation, he said that the PM-ABHIM government (Prime Minister – Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission) has given approval to Rs 64,000 crore for various health infrastructure projects in the various states.
He added that the current epidemic of Covid-19 has demonstrated how important it is to be aware of new and returning diseases that can not only trigger isolated outbreaks but cause an epidemic.NCDC branches in the states and UTs will assist the state government in timely surveillance and monitoring of diseases.
They will provide early warning, which will lead to prompt intervention based on data gathered in the field, he stressed, health ministers said.
These state branches will collaborate with NCDC HQR in New Delhi with real-time sharing of information and data, assisted by cutting-edge technology.
The NCDC branches will also be vital in making sure that timely availability of up-to-date guidelines, so that accurate and scientifically supported information is easily distributed.
At present, NCDC has eight branches in the states with particular focus on a few or a single disease They will be reused and new branches will be created with the requirement of integrated surveillance of disease which deal with Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) multi-sectoral and entomological studies as well as other issues.
The Health Minister of the Union also launched the NCDC Laboratory Block -1, Residential Complex and NRL of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme.The NCDC Laboratory Block will house modern laboratories for testing and referral focused with viral, bacterial fungal and parasitic illnesses of public health that are of concern.
This laboratory is outfitted with 50 high-capacity laboratories that comprise 30 Biosafety level 3 labs, 5 RT-PCR labs as well as 15 additional labs.The labs will be designed to provide more than just tests, but to also offer training in the hands-on manner capacity building, capacities building, and quality assurance to the entire network of labs across the country.
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