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Infectious diseases research centre opened in Vellore

Staff Reporter

The aim is to develop indigenous capacity in treatment

VELLORE: The Infectious Diseases Training and Research Centre (IDTRC) set up by the Christian Medical College, Vellore, in collaboration with the Centre for Tropical Diseases, Haukeland University, Bergen, Norway, was today inaugurated by the Ambassador of Norway, Jon Westborg.

Mr. Westborg said that the collaboration was part of the efforts at strengthening the economic, political and cultural ties between Norway and India, especially in the area of transfer of technology between the two countries.

Benjamin M. Pulimood, former Director of the CMC Hospital who had done pioneering research in the field of infectious diseases, dedicated the Professor Benjamin M. Pulimood Laboratories for Infection and Immunity (BMPLII), named after him.

Dilip Mathai, Professor of Medicine, CMC, said that a large number of deaths were caused by infectious diseases (26 per cent). The number of deaths due to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), which was 0.7 million in 1993 had increased to 2.8 million in 2002, moving from the seventh to the second place in less than a decade. As against 15 HIV patients admitted in the CMC Hospital in 1991, 418 have been admitted in 2001.

The IDTRC and BMPLII are being established with the objective of developing indigenous capacity in treating infectious diseases, and to foster national and international cooperation in this area.

As a recognised centre of excellence in imparting training on care of people living with HIV/AIDS, the CMC was selected as one of the four national centres for training physicians in the administration of anti retroviral therapy, as part of the initiative of the World Health Organisatioin. It has established networks with the Indian Council for Medical Research, the National AIDS Control Organisation and the National Vector-Borne Diseases Control Programme. The IDTRC would seek funds from the WHO to subsidise treatment of HIV/AIDS patients.

George M. Chandy, Director of the CMC Hospital, said that the need to establish the IDTRC in India was to avoid Indian physicians going abroad for training in the treatment of infectious diseases common within India.

He said that the CMCH, in collaboration with the Centre for Tropical Diseases, Norway, would be able to offer a model for the rest of the world in the treatment of infectious diseases, especially HIV.

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