Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar addresses 18th Foundation Day of ICMR, National Institute of Traditional Medicine

Belagavi: Indian Council of Medical Research and National Institute of Traditional Medicine (ICMR-NITM), Belagavi is celebrating its 18th Foundation Day, on May 27, 2024.

The event will be inaugurated by the Honourable Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, and graced by Honourable Governor of Karnataka, Shri Thaawar Chand Gehlot. It will also be attended by Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary to Government of India, Department of Health Research (DHR), and Director General, ICMR and Smt. Anu Nagar, Joint Secretary, Department of Health Research. The event marks the unwavering commitment of ICMR-NITM to raise the discourse and document evidence-based and research-backed traditional medicine. 

The Foundation Day celebration will bring together experts, researchers, policymakers, and healthcare professionals, to promote collaborative effort in advancing public health and charting the course for the future of traditional medicine in India. The celebration will feature a series of engaging events, including scientific presentations, aimed at fostering dialogue, collaboration, and knowledge exchange among stakeholders in public health.

"We are honoured to have the Honourable Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, grace our Foundation Day celebration with his esteemed presence. His support and encouragement inspire us to continue our pursuit of excellence in research and innovation," said Dr Subarna Roy, Director, ICMR-NITM ahead of the event.

The institute's ongoing research has identified several leads from traditional practices for addressing challenging diseases and conditions. It has an online repository of medicinal plants from Western Ghats and has been providing authentication and herbarium services for such Plants. The Institute has been working in close collaboration with the health authorities and Government Medical Colleges of Karnataka for the past two decades. It has been providing various diagnostic and research support, training, and capacity-building activities.

ICMR-NITM had been instrumental in identifying resurgence of diphtheria in north Karnataka which led to strengthening of surveillance, intensified immunization and prevention of deaths. Other than identifying major outbreaks of cholera, enteric diseases, hepatitis, and diphtheria, the institute has also identified iodine deficiency disorders (goitre) and fluorosis as important health issues in several areas of North Karnataka through its Model Rural Health Research Unit located at Raichur. The institute is presently strengthening its activities with the addition of new scientists and research infrastructure.