The union health ministry has given its administrative approval and expenditure sanction for the Department of Health Research (DHR)'s scheme for the establishment of Model Rural Health Research Units (MRHRUs) in different states during the 12th Plan period under the initiative of development of infrastructure for health research in the country.

Under the scheme, 15 MRHRUs will be set up in the states at an estimated cost of Rs.67.66 crore. A total of seven units will be established in 2013-14 and the rest eight units will be established in 2014- 15.

The major objective of the scheme include creation of infrastructure at the periphery for transfer of technology to the rural level for improving the quality of health services to rural population; ensure an interface between the new technology developers (researchers in the medical institutions; state or centre), health systems operators (centre or state health services) and the beneficiaries (communities in rural areas); and to ensure the much needed geographical spread of health research infrastructure in the country.

As per the proposal, each MRHRU will be set up preferably in close proximity to the state health facility (community/primary health centre at block level) and each MRHRU would be linked with one of the ICMR institution/ centre for mentoring and will be headed by an authorised officer of the concerned mentoring ICMR institute/centre. Research programme under the scheme will focus on disease profile of the area and strategies for transfer of existing technologies to the end user will be evolved. Doctors form the medical colleges may also undertake visits at the clinics at the MRHRUs.

The MRHRUs have to develop state/area specific models depending upon the disease profile, topography, morbidity patterns and local conditions for transfer of the technology for providing better healthcare services to the rural masses by supporting and undertaking relevant research on local health issues as per the priorities identified by the state government in close coordination with state health authorities. Special focus will be given to tribal areas, hilly terrain, and remote areas.

These units have to create a state-wide research capability within the context of building the national research infrastructure, including training the health professionals of state health system to enable them to carry out health research in the use of modern technologies and to replicate the models at local level.

They have to facilitate the transfer of appropriate technologies, existing and new, to make them available and accessible to target populations, and also have to undertake various research projects in close coordination with the state government institutions and others that are relevant and beneficial to the rural population.

These units would function in an operational research mode and would serve as model units to transfer the technology to the state system for its applicability and feasibility in the rural settings. These units will undertake/translate the research under the basic, applied and clinical discipline for the use of population in that area.