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Full-fledged NCDC unit to be set up in Hyderabad:
In a significant development towards fighting epidemics, especially of viral nature that have become common in Telangana, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), New Delhi, and the Telangana government have agreed to set up the first full-fledged NCDC in Hyderabad.
Details of the proposal:
- Top health officials have confirmed that the Minister has already agreed to the proposal and the process to set up NCDC in Hyderabad has begun. This will be the second full-fledged centre in the country.
- Health experts in Hyderabad believe that the decision to set up such a centre is a shot in the arm for healthcare providers, who are always dependent on National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune and NCDC, New Delhi to confirm rare viral strains and agents behind frequent outbreaks of mysterious ailments, especially among the tribal population here. With the NCDC facility in Hyderabad all such tests can be done here itself thus minimising the time gap between the tests and the results.
- As part of the plan to set up the NCDC, the Government of India will be providing funds to the tune of Rs. 25 crore, while the land will be provided free of cost by the State government. The NCDC unit will have manpower support of experts in public health, microbiology, entomology, paramedics and other technocrats from a host of varied medical disciplines.
- Significantly, the NCDC will have a state-of-the-art laboratory with sophisticated equipment that will provide the much needed diagnostic support to the State health authorities in identifying emerging and re-emerging diseases.
- This is an important breakthrough for Telangana State. The centre will not only identify the disease causing agents but will also enable research, which is a big step for the country.