The Department of Health Research, created last year to guide the medical research activities in the country with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) as its main arm, will prepare a `tripartite research policy' and mechanism to co-ordinate, implement, and streamline the researches being carried out under different departments now.

The policy and co-ordination mechanism will involve the departments of health and family welfare, AYUSH and health research. The modalities are being worked out and an initial plan allocation of Rs 20 crore has been made to put the mechanism in place at the earliest, sources said.

Meanwhile, with the ambitious goal of giving a fillip to the medical research in the country, the department has been given Rs 4496 crore during the current 11th Five Year Plan. An allocation of Rs 420 crore has been made available during the current year from the pool. The Department would reschedule its activities and re-orient the outflow of funds for the remaining four years of the 11th Plan, based on the allocation.

During the current year, the department would take up intra-mural activities in the 30 institutes of the ICMR, including works of a capital nature and infrastructural facilities such as equipment, consumables etc. Besides, extramural research activities would be held at different medical colleges.

As part of the proposed tripartite research policy, a National Health Research Management Forum will be formed with the minister for health as the chairman and health research department secretary as the convener. The other members will include, the secretaries in the ministry of health, departments of AYUSH, DST, Biotechnology and DSIR, among others including representatives from the industry and three eminent health scientists.

The department has been created for promotion and co-ordination of basic, applied and clinical research including clinical trials and operational research in areas related to medical, health biomedical and medical profession and education through development of infrastructure, manpower and skills in cutting edge areas and management of related information thereto. The inter-sectoral coordination and promotion of public private partnership in medical, biomedical and health research related areas are also among the main tasks of the department.