The department of health research (DHR) will further scale up the translational research activities in the coming years to translate the innovations and technologies to their logical conclusions by proper validation and refinement to make them available for public health in the country. The DHR has earmarked a large sum of Rs.2,000 crore for this purpose.

According to senior officials in the DHR, as part of this activity the DHR will evaluate the health research projects undertaken by various scientific departments, including ICMR. A unit will be established for evaluating and recommending technologies for improving the health care. Critical funding will be provided in the identified areas for further development.

Besides, the department will establish a mechanism for coordination between the academic and the industry, so that the leads could be translated into products and processes fast. Start up funds, when required, will also be provided for encouraging PPP mode by focusing on proposals which have a promise of developing a product or process. To further support translational research programmes, start up fund will be provided to various scientific departments, institutions, industry in either in isolation or academia, individuals including NRI, PIO, OCI, institutions etc. for development of leads, translation of leads/product development.

Apart from these, in order to promote and encourage translational research, national awards in various fields relating to translational research will also be instituted by the DHR.

Officials said that translation of innovations and technologies for public health being the main function of DHR, it will take these technologies to logical conclusions by proper validation and refinement. Efforts have also been initiated to identify leads from extramural programme so that the knowledge generated can be harvested for public good. In the down stream process, the DHR will synergize and coordinate its effort with other science agencies so that potentially useful leads obtained by support from those organizations can also be considered for further translation and implementation through joint projects.