Indian Council Medical Research (ICMR) would be spending Rs 1,500 crore exclusively for research and development programmes in the country including developing new vaccines, a senior official of ICMR said here today.
Speaking at the Sri Ramachandra University founder's day function, Dr Lalit Kanth, Chief Epidemiology and Communicable Disease Division, ICMR said out of the total available funds of Rs 3,000 crore for ICMR during the 11th plan, 50 per cent would be spent for various research activities across the country.
"ICMR would be giving priority to reserach activities for developing new vaccine products, which would reach the common man", he said.
"We are not paying attention to research. That is why India is lacking behind in health sector compared to other countries", he said adding "India currently ranks 128 among 177 countries in the Human Development Index".
While giving out some statistics about the Indian health scenario, Lalit said every year about 1.7 million children die in India before reaching its first birthday due to various health factors. "One in 20 child born alive dies before it attains its first birthday".
He urged the young generation to come into the fold of medicinal research, which would contribute to country's Human Development Index.