Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J.P. Nadda on Monday announced India's first public-private-partnership (PPP) agreement for research and innovation in preventive health between the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Sun Pharma here.
Presiding over the signing of the agreement between ICMR Director General Dr. Soumya Swaminathan and Sun Pharma Managing Director Dilip Shanghvi, Nadda noted that this unique initiative was a significant step in the health sector, while reiterating that the commitment of the Government to strengthen health research in the country.
Speaking on the occasion of the celebration of World Malaria Day, the Union Health Minister noted that the collaboration would prove to be a notable milestone in the Government's strategy to eliminate malaria from the country.
India is a party to the commitment at the East Asia Summit for malaria elimination by 2030, so today's announcement of malaria elimination demonstration project is of special significance, Nadda pointed out.
Noting that Malaria is a major public health problem, and Malaria endemic countries have shown significantly lower rates of economic growth, the Health Minister said as part of the partnership, ICMR and Sun Pharma would establish a malaria elimination demonstration project -'Malaria Free India' - to support the National Framework for Elimination of Malaria, which was announced by him in February 2016.
The demonstration project will be launched first in Mandla, one of the most malaria endemic districts of Madhya Pradesh. Sun Pharma will fund as well as execute this malaria elimination programme over a span of 3 to 5 years covering over 200,000 households in Mandla district.
Implementing Malaria elimination demonstration project in a high transmission district of Mandla, using proven case management and vector control strategies, will be done in collaboration and through the support of the Government of Madhya Pradesh.
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The project aims to reduce the morbidity and mortality caused by malaria as well as prevent re-introduction of malaria, strengthen the existing health systems, introduce mobile-based surveillance systems and treat all malaria cases as per National Vector Borne Disease Control Program (NVBDCP) guidelines, and mobilise communities.
The lessons learned would be used for elimination of malaria from the country under the national program, the Minister added. He further stated that as the PPP initiative will dovetail into Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan goals, the benefits shall be magnified.
To demonstrate the feasibility of eliminating malaria and prevention of re-establishment of this disease, ICMR and Sun Pharma will use rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and antimalarial drugs (ACTs), long-lasting insecticide treated bednets and indoor residual spray (IRS).
In addition, as part of the PPP, ICMR and Sun Pharma will jointly conduct scientific research for development and testing of medical products (including drugs, biosimilars and vaccines) as well as undertake disease control and elimination programs.
They will set-up a Joint Working Group (JWG) to identify and collaborate in disease surveillance and elimination that are relevant to India. Both will expand cooperation in the area of translational health sciences research with the objective of developing new and improved medicines for infectious and chronic diseases.
They will jointly work to strengthen capacity and facilities required for conducting research and trials aimed at testing safety and efficacy of medical products. They will also work with other stakeholders in creating public awareness through accurate and research-based information exchange as part of their shared belief that knowledge of clinical safety and effectiveness of medicines is best determined through well-designed, scientifically robust, ethically conducted clinical trials.
Acknowledge the need to establish systems for appropriate oversight of human clinical trials, the agreement covers capacity-building through basic and applied research collaborations, expert consultations, training, exchange of scientists, sharing of repository materials, strengthening of laboratory quality assurance systems and transfer of technology.