The Department of Health Research (DHR) will establish multi-disciplinary research units (MDRUs) in the 80 government medical colleges across the country at an estimated cost of about Rs.503.85 crore, during the 12th Plan period. A total of 35 such units will be established in 2013-14 and 45 units in 2014-15.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has already cleared the proposal of the DHR in this regard.

One time financial assistance upto Rs.5.25 crore will be provided to each government medical college or the institution for setting up of modern biological lab or multidisciplinary research unit. This will include Rs.5.00 crore towards equipment and Rs.25 lakhs for minor civil works for modifications or renovation in the space to be provided by the state medical college. In addition, financial assistance of Rs.19.23 lakhs per annum for meeting the recurring expenditure towards staff and Rs.15 lakhs per annum towards consumables, training or contingencies will also be provided for a period of five year to each medical college or institution.

As per the proposal, the state government will be required to provide requisite space (free of cost) for establishment of MDRUs in the medical colleges and will also be required to take over the recurring expenditure liability of the above labs after project period of five years.

The measure will encourage and strengthen an environment of research in the government medical colleges; bridge the gap in the infrastructure which is inhibiting health research in the medical colleges, with a view to improve the health status of the population by creating evidence based application of diagnostic procedure, processes and methods.

The government's initiative in this regard is significant because of the fact that while research should have been the integral activity of the medical colleges, majority of medical colleges have confined themselves to routine patient care and are not pursuing newer methods of investigation for understanding the pathological diagnosis, treatment and management practise.

This is attributed both to the lack of appropriate facilities for conducting research and lack of motivation on the part of faculty and students in medical colleges for conducting research. Government has therefore been feeling an urgent need to provide assistance to the medical colleges to set up appropriate research facilities to promote and encourage quality medical research in the country.