ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN

&
AGENDA 2030

RESEARCH INNOVATE IMPLEMENT

Transforming Health of Indian People

through Responsive Research
ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-24 iii
© Indian Council of Medical Research

Year of Publication: 2017

Core Committee of the ICMR Strategic Plan

Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Secretary DHR & DG, ICMR
Dr. Sanjay Mehendale, Addl. DG, ICMR
Dr. Rajni Kant, Scientist F & Head, Div. of RMPPC, ICMR Hqrs
Dr. Manoj V. Murhekar, Director, ICMR -NIE
Dr. Harpreet Singh, Scientist E, Div. of ISRM, ICMR Hqrs
Dr. Vijay Kumar, Scientist G & Head, Div. of BMS, ICMR Hqrs
Dr. Manickam Ponnaiah, Scientist E, ICMR-NIE
Dr. Prashant Mathur, Director, ICMR-NCDIR
Dr. C. Padmapriyadarsini, Scientist E, ICMR-NIRT
Dr. Kamini Walia, Scientist E, Div. of ECD, ICMR Hqrs
Dr. Anju Sinha, Scientist E, Div. of RBMH&CH, ICMR Hqrs
Dr. Ashoo Grover, Scientist E, Div. of NCD, ICMR Hqrs

Technical Support
Dr. Enna Dogra Gupta, Scientist B, Div. of RMPPC, ICMR Hqrs
Dr. Joyita Chowdhury, Consultant, Div. of RMPPC, ICMR Hqrs

Designed by: Sunil Butola

Printed on behalf of Director General ICMR at M/s Royal Offset Printers, A-89/1, Naraina Industrial Area
Phase I, New Delhi-110028
Foreword

The world is changing at a faster pace than ever before. Large scale development, rapid urbanization,
increased travel, changing climatic conditions, inequities in access to health care etc. have seriously
impacted various disease conditions. The re-appearance of diseases which were considered to
be controlled and emergence of new infections like H1N1, Ebola and Zika virus in addition to the
increasing burden of non-communicable diseases is a cause for concern.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has been on the forefront of medical research in
the country and has supported national health programmes. We are at a crucial juncture when the
world has moved from Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs). The Government of India has recently released a new National Health Policy 2017 aiming
for universal health coverage. ‘Vision for a Healthy India’, a document prepared by NITI Aayog
provides guidance to health planners and implementers on future strategies and action plan to
improve health indicators in the country. The Government of India has also strengthened efforts
towards elimination of diseases like leprosy, filariasis, leishmaniasis, tuberculosis and malaria.

ICMR plans to re-align its research to become truly complementary to national policies. There will
be a focus on translating the leads emerging from research to action for the benefit of society and
introduction of affordable indigenously developed technologies for disease diagnosis, prevention,
treatment and control. The ICMR Strategic Plan-2017 is based on 5 major pillars. ICMR will aim at
overall strengthening of research capacity and infrastructure in the country with a special emphasis
on creating platforms for data sharing and exploration for generation of new ideas. Through a network
of centres, ICMR will develop research collaborations with AYUSH agencies with a focus on scientific
validation of traditional remedies. In addition, ICMR will focus on Evidence to Policy translation and
strengthening of ongoing national health programs. This document provides a roadmap in terms of
strategies planned and timelines mentioning the short, medium and long-term goals to be achieved
by 2030. I hope that in the years to come, India will emerge as a global leader in health research.

(Dr. Soumya Swaminathan)

Secretary DHR & DG, ICMR
Contents

Foreword

Executive Summary 1

ICMR Vision, Mission & Mandate 3

ICMR Institutional Network Across the Country 4

ICMR’s Research Accomplishment & Vision for Future 5

- Current research Landscape of ICMR 5

- Major Achievements & Research Output 6

- Directions for Better Health Research Outcomes 9

ICMR Strategic Plan and Core Areas 11

- Pillar 1: Strengthen Health Research Capacity 13

- Pillar 2: Rationalizing Data Systems and Providing Easy Access Research Platforms 19

- Pillar 3: Leveraging Traditional Medicine 24

- Pillar 4: Enable Evidence to Policy Translation 29

- Pillar 5: Strengthen Program Implementation through Research 33

Monitoring and Evaluation 37

Aligning ICMR’s Vision with National Health Policy and India’s Commitment to SDG 2030 38

ICMR Strategic Vision 2030: Expected Outcomes and Impact 39

Abbreviations 40

ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-24 vii

Executive Summary

Providing affordable healthcare for all in a populous country like India is a challenging task.
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is one of the oldest medical research councils of the
world, set up in 1911 as Indian Research Fund Association (IRFA) with a mandate of formulation,
coordination and promotion of biomedical research in the country. After Independence, IRFA
was renamed as ICMR and has contributed immensely in formulating policies and programmatic
interventions for health problems of the country like tuberculosis, viral diseases, leprosy, malaria,
cholera and nutritional disorders. The DOTS strategy for tuberculosis, research on multi-drug
therapy for leprosy and eco-friendly community based approaches for malaria control are
ICMR’s landmark research contributions to the society. ICMR has had a major role in developing
diagnostics, during epidemics of H1N1 influenza, dengue fever, chikungunya, Japanese
encephalitis and Kyasanur forest disease (KFD). Recently ICMR has played a significant role
in Polio elimination from India and has now focused efforts on elimination of leprosy, kala-azar,
filariasis, malaria and tuberculosis.

India spends only about 1% of its gross domestic product on public health, compared with
5.55% in China and 17.14 % in the United States in 2014. India's per-capita expenditure on
health research is less than $1. A nation is prosperous when the health system of the country
is strong which is backed up by significant and strong health research feeds. ICMR has drafted
a new Strategic Research Plan for the next seven years to contribute towards improvement
in health outcomes in India. The ICMR Strategic Plan-2017-24 is based on 5 major pillars of
capacity building, data management, leveraging traditional medicine, evidence to policy and
strengthening program implementation through research.

The ISP-2017-24 was supported by a comprehensive research performance evaluation by

external agencies. Domestic and foreign external stakeholders have always appreciated ICMR’s
global recognition and brand value as well as its impactful contribution in outbreak investigation
and timely intervention. However, the areas requiring improvement include focus on development
of new technologies, new drugs and devices; more effective use of communication tools such
as social media, mass media, public exhibitions, wide spread research dissemination initiatives
and ICMR website; greater engagement with private sector, need to strengthen facilities and
opportunities for medical research in the country and emphasis on operations research to
strengthen health infrastructure.

The recommendations of various committees that have reviewed ICMR’s work, recent WHO
guidance on elimination of diseases and sustainable development goals and a plan to leverage
the strength of ICMR institutional network in India form the foundation on which pillars of ISP-
2017-24 have been built. Its core aim is to deal with health challenges faced by the country
such as non-communicable diseases, anti-microbial resistance, emerging infections, maternal

ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-24 1

 and child health and issues related to health systems and health care delivery. ISP-2017-24 is
based on 5 major pillars and 15 target oriented goals [Box-1]. The Strategic Plan will focus on
capacity building, organizing data systems, leveraging traditional medicine, evidence to policy
and strengthening program implementation through research.

With implementation of ISP 2017-24, ICMR intends to play a greater role in improving the health
of the people of India. As a knowledge generating body, it will position itself to provide critical
feeds for policy making and program strengthening and improvement. The renewed focus on
innovation and translation of research into products and schemes of mass benefit is expected to
touch the lives of the people of India.

Box 1: Strategic Framework: 5 Pillars with 15 Goals [ISP 2017-24]

Strengthen Health Data systems Leveraging Enable Evidence Strengthen
Research Capacity and Research Traditional to Policy Program
Platforms Medicine Translation implementation
through Research
Develop Programs & Develop and Identify key Build capacity for Identify gaps
customized courses Implement researchable evidence-based in health
for enhancing skills ICMR Policy areas in traditional health policy programmes,
and introduce high for sharing and medicine and development at both national
end schemes with a access to health/ provide training and state levels,
focus on mentorship biomedical for traditional and undertake
for established and research data medicine research to
new researchers researchers in address them
to enable them pre-clinical and to improve
to undertake clinical research programme
basic, clinical, and frame implementation in
implementation guidelines the country
and translational
research
Provide Setup disease- Establish Establish national Promote
infrastructural specific/thematic national level level health innovations in
and mentoring repositories inter-disciplinary technology health systems
support to select and warehouse research facility assessment and health care
institutions and of health/ & a network mechanism for delivery
medical colleges biomedical for traditional use in health
and individuals research data medicine research policy
to undertake
actionable research
Establish regional Promote ICMR Conduct Knowledge Disseminate
virtual as well as research data collaborative Translation (KT) and advocate
physical centres of warehouse research on by engaging with successful
excellence which by various identified stakeholders to models/ pilot
will act as hubs of stakeholders researchable share relevant, interventions
mentorship and for improving areas in traditional reliable and timely for introduction
capacity building research and medicine research evidence in health
public health and syntheses programmes

Transforming Health of Indian People

2 through Responsive Research
 ICMR VISION
Translating Research into Action for Improving the Health of the Population

ICMR MISSION
GENERATE, manage and disseminate new knowledge.
INCREASE focus on research on the health problems of the vulnerable, the
disadvantaged and marginalized sections of the society.
HARNESS and encourage the use of modern biology tools in addressing health
concerns of the country.
ENCOURAGE innovations and translation related to diagnostics, treatment, methods/
vaccines for prevention.
INCULCATE a culture of research in academia especially medical colleges and other
health research institutions by strengthening infrastructure and human resource.

ICMR MANDATE
1 2 3
Formulate, spearhead Conduct, coordinate Translate medical
and promote and implement innovations to products/
biomedical research medical research processes and introducing
in India as a National for the benefit of them into the public
Apex Body the Society health system
ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-24 3
 ICMR Institutional Network Across the Country

Transforming Health of Indian People

4 through Responsive Research
ICMR’s Research Accomplishments and Vision for Future
Current Research Landscape of ICMR
Research conducted by ICMR’s permanent institutes as well as other research institutes,
medical colleges, and non-governmental organizations through ICMR’s extramural funds has
made significant scientific contributions in defining epidemiology, outbreak investigations
and understanding aetio-pathogenesis of various diseases of public health importance such
as malaria, Japanese encephalitis, tuberculosis, AIDS, kala-azar, filariasis, leprosy, cancers,
diabetes and poliomyelitis. ICMR has also diligently addressed issues concerning nutrition,
reproduction, maternal and child health, occupational and environmental health and health
systems. ICMR has developed ethics guidelines for biomedical research and supporting ethical
conduct of research. ICMR’s research output and its impact on policies and programs has
demonstrated considerable and constant growth.

• Fellowships, JRF, SRF, • Intramural

RA, STS, etc. • Extramural
• Training & workshops
• Emeritus scientists

Intramrual Research
People Research
ICMR institutions

Collaboration Dissemination

Extramural Research
1. Task force projects
2. Ad-hoc funded projects
3. Centres for Advanced • MoUs with different • Journals
Research institutes/countries • Bulletins
• Books
• Monographs

ICMR has shown a strong commitment to encourage and strengthen professional development
through its training and capacity building initiatives such as thematic training programs,
workshops, and short-term research studentships for those preparing for a career in medicine
and medical research. It also provides research fellowships and short-term visiting fellowships
for upcoming researchers to expand their skills and knowledge base early in their career.
ICMR also offers Emeritus Scientist positions to retired medical scientists and teachers to
enable them to carry out research on specific topics. The international research collaborations
of ICMR have spanned across all the continents with signed agreements with leading research
agencies from the lead countries in contemporary areas such as cancer, diabetes, infectious
diseases and vaccines.

ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-24 5

 ICMR’s Major Achievements and Research Output
Strategic Achievements
Objective

• Immuno-diagnostic tests (FLA-ABS, SACT-ELISA, PGL-ELISA, etc.) for multi

Diagnostics bacillary leprosy
• RLEP-PCR technology for early diagnosis of leprosy recently introduced under
NLEP
• Development of POC detection kit for Plasmodium falciparum
• Development of commercial diagnostic kits against JE, West Nile (WN), Dengue
(DEN) and Chikungunya (CHIK)
• Development of indigenous ELISA kits for diagnosis of Hepatitis A&B
• Developed a highly sensitive and specific diagnostic kit for detection of IgG
antibodies against paragonimiasis (north-east India)
• A new phage typing scheme for V. cholerae biotype El
• Immune-chromatographic dipstick kit for the rapid diagnosis of cholera
• Direct Agglutination Test (DAT) for early diagnosis of kala-azar
• Test for molecular diagnosis of beta thalassemia
• Test for detection of pathogenic bacteria in food
• Non-invasive procedure for diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis from urine or saliva
• 
Development of indigenous vaccine (JENVAC) against Japanese encephalitis (JE)
Vaccines with support from Bharat Biotech
Development/ • 
Partnered in the development of indigenous cholera vaccine
Drug Efficacy • 
Immunotherapeutic and immunoprophylatic role of MIP vaccine studied. The MIP
Trials vaccine is taken up by NLEP under implementation research mode.
• 
Conducted largest BCG clinical trial demonstrating the inefficacy of BCG to
provide protection in adults
• 
Development of vaccine against Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD)
Contributions • 
Concept of MDT was tested and evaluated for leprosy
to National • 
UMDT (MDT + Minocycline + Ofloxacin, clofazimine) regimen development for
Programmes leprosy
• 
Demonstration of oral rehydration therapy to prevent mortality in diarrhoeal
disease
• 
Efficacy of HAF (Home available Fluids) in combating dehydration
• 
Clinical Trials of new combination anti-malarial drugs
• 
Efficacy of Short Course Chemotherapy (SCC) in pulmonary, extra-pulmonary and
MDR-TB
• 
Efficacy of DOTS was tested and evaluated
• 
Domiciliary treatment of TB
• 
Community based Drug studies demonstrating effectiveness of DEC and
Ivermectin against Filariasis.
• 
Validated Miltefosine treatment for Kala-azar
• 
Affordable glucometer and strips for diabetes
Devices • 
Magnifying device (Magnivisualizer) for cervical cancer screening
Development • 
Engineering control device for silica flour milling units at Beawar
• 
Nylon gloves for tobacco harvesters
• 
Engineering control device for Agate units
• 
Personal Protective Equipment for salt workers
• 
Redesigned cycle rickshaw
• 
Personal Cooling Garment for persons working in heat stress situations
• 
Technologies for Vitamin A and Ferritin estimations

Transforming Health of Indian People

6 through Responsive Research
Strategic Achievements
Objective

Establishment • 
Bioenvironmental approaches for malaria control (eg. Larvivorus fishes, bio-
of Innovative larvicides, Health Impact Assessment of Developmental Projects, etc.)
Intervention • 
Demonstration of a successful community based integrated vector management
Models programme Cherthala, Kerala against filariasis
Nutrition • 
Nutritive value of Indian Foods and Food Fortification are landmark achievements
of ICMR
• 
Double fortification of cooking salt with iron and iodine
• 
RLEP-PCR technology for early diagnosis of leprosy recently introduced under
NLEP
• 
Micro-nutrient mix
• 
Balamruthum – Fighting malnutrition in children
Environmental • 
ICMR studies led to shifting of all silver foundries from residential zone to forestall
& Occupational community exposure
Hazards • 
Registration of Methomyl was cancelled by the Pesticide Registration Committee
• 
Byssinosis like health conditions following jute dust exposure became
compensable based on ICMR study results
• 
Nickel controversy in chocolates/hydrogenated oil
• 
Integrated Environment Programme on Heavy Metals Pollution (Phase-I & Phase-II)
• 
Conducted integrated environmental epidemiology study in identified critically
polluted areas of the country
• 
Monitoring of pesticide residue in fruits and vegetables
• 
Generated data base on pesticide residues in soft drink
• 
Quantitative detection of heavy metals and phthalates in Toys
• 
Landmark epidemiological, clinical and environmental research studies following
Bhopal Gas Tragedy
National • 
Clinical Trial Registry – India (CTRI)
Registries/ • 
National Cancer Registry Programme
Network Projects/ • 
MACE Registry
Monitoring • 
National Nutritional Monitoring Bureau (NNMB)- now discontinued
Surveillance • National Rotavirus Surveillance Network (NRSN)
Networks • Bacterial Meningitis
• Virus research and diagnostic laboratory network
• 
Demonstration of HIV infection in India and initiated country wide sero-
surveillance
• 
Polio surveillance and research support for Polio elimination
• 
Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (AMRSN)
• 
Support NACO in diagnosis, monitoring, training of HIV/AIDS
• 
Support IDSP by providing diagnosis for influenza, measles etc.
• 
INDIAB study to monitor prevalence of diabetes in the country
Support in • 
Assessing Health Impact due to Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004 (NIE, NIRT,
Outbreaks/ NICED, CRME, VCRC, RMRC-PB)
Epidemics/ • 
Environment and health impact assessment for Bhopal Gas Tragedy, 1984 (NIOH,
Pandemics/ NIMS, BMHRC,NIP, NICPR)
National • 
Health impact due to Earthquake in Gujarat, 2001 (NIMR, DMRC),
Emergencies • 
Super cyclone in Odisha, 1999 (NIMR)
• 
Epidemic investigations during SARS/H1N1, and preparedness for ZIKA and
Ebola viruses, etc.

ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-24 7

 Strategic Achievements
Objective

Inputs for Policy • 

DOTS for tuberculosis
Implementation • 
MDT for leprosy
• 
Malaria drug policy in North-east
• 
ORS implementation in diarrhoea
Guidelines/ National Guidelines for Accreditation, Supervision and Regulation of ART Clinics
• 
Regulations/Policy in India
• 
Ethical guidelines for Biomedical Research on human participants
• 
Guidelines for Good Clinical Laboratory Practices
• 
Guidelines for Safety Assessment of Foods Derived from Genetically Engineered
Plants
• 
Intellectual Property Rights Policy
• 
Health Research Policy
• 
Guidelines for Stem Cell Research
• 
Dietary Guidelines for Indians
Isolation/ V.cholerae strain O139
• 
Characterization of • 
Entero-aggregative Escherichia coli (E AggEC)
New Pathogens • 
Kyasanur forest disease (KFD)
• 
Leptospirosis
• 
Paragonimiasis
State of the Art • 
Asia’s first BSL-4 laboratory developed at NIV, Pune
Infrastructure • 
Partnered in India’s first scientifically established test tube baby in 1978 at IRR,
Development/ Mumbai
Flagship Initiatives • 
India TB Research Consortium/Foundation
• 
Tribal Health Research Forum
• 
Vector Borne Disease Science Forum
• 
The ICMR School of Public Health at NIE launched its first Massive Open Online
Health System Course (MOOC) Health Research Fundamentals - More than 6000 participants
Strengthening enrolled in first two courses.
• 
Large-scale evaluation of national health programs
• Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illnesses (IMNCI) (8 states)
• Evaluation of NCD program under Tamil Nadu Health Systems Project (32
districts of Tamil Nadu)
• Temperature monitoring of vaccine cold chain (10 states)
• Programme implementation review following rotavirus vaccine introduction (4
states)
• Health systems preparedness for NCD rollout in tribal areas (12 states)
• 
Developed online tools for data management
Generate and nurture human resources for health research activities through
• 
Capacity Building various fellowships (JRF, SRF, RA, STS) and trainings/workshops
• 
Research support to medical colleges all over country
• 
Masters in Public Health, Medical Entomology and Food & Nutrition

Transforming Health of Indian People

8 through Responsive Research
Directions for Better Health Research Outcomes: Guidance and
Recommendations of Various Advisory and Evaluation Committees
of ICMR
A. Governance, Leadership and Infrastructural Improvements in Research
Implementation
• Restructuring/consolidation of ICMR Institutes/better coordination with DHR
• Creation of state of art research centers in medical colleges
• Re-shaping and modernizing the extramural research program of ICMR
• Enhancing Information Communication Technology (ICT) in health research
• Several fold increase in need for more investment in research
• Academia industry partnership/interagency synergy
• Strengthening human resources and infrastructure: Creating a talent pipeline
• Reshaping training and mentorship initiatives
• Aligning research to impact on policy formulation
• Establishing a mechanism for monitoring and evaluation and measuring return on investment
• Establishing global partnerships and up-scaling international collaboration
• Science dissemination/advocacy for brand building and expanding outreach
• Periodic priority setting in health research
• Governance reform and developing research leaders

B. Cutting Edge Research in Emerging and Frontier Areas

• Drug development and clinical trials
• Big data analytics
• Life style diseases
• Pandemic and epidemic preparedness, investigations and control of outbreaks, cross border
issues
• Impact of climate change on human health
• Surveillance platforms: Vaccine preventable diseases, AMR, diseases targeted for elimination
• Health hazards of Electro-magnetic radiation
• Assisted Reproductive Technologies and Surrogacy
• Indigenous and affordable health care (Technological Innovations)
• Health technology assessment
• Areas gaining significance: Stem cell research/Genomics/Bioinformatics/Telemedicine/
Nanotechnology

C. Flagship Programmes to be Taken on Mission Mode

• Diseases identified for elimination such as kala-azar, filariasis, leprosy, malaria and tuberculosis
• Transforming current pre-pregnancy and pregnancy care
• To combat stunting, wasting and micronutrient deficiency
• Mission to establish surveillance mechanisms and tools for high priority vaccine preventable
diseases
• Mission for combating antimicrobial resistance
• Mission for transforming measurement

ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-24 9

 • Combating mental ill health
• Long term cohorts
• Health systems Redesign
• Health problems of the elderly
• Transforming health policy research
• Health technology development and technology entrepreneurship

Transforming Health of Indian People

10 through Responsive Research
ICMR Strategic Plan
and Core Areas

ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-24 11

 Transforming Health of Indian People
12 through Responsive Research
 Pillar 1: Strengthen Health Research
Capacity
Skill Development for Cutting Edge Health Research and
Research Leadership

Success of any program depends on availability of adequate number of well-trained human resources.
To be able to undertake cutting edge high quality bio-medical and health research, ICMR will initiate
several courses on contemporary topics, expand its reach through online courses and regional hubs
and introduce mentoring and supervision. The emphasis will be on strengthening the research
capacity in medical colleges, universities, research institutes and young researchers.

Rationale
World Health Organization, the Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED), the
Global Forum on Health Research and other agencies have consistently emphasized that a primary
function of sustainable knowledge systems is to create and continuously improve the human
and physical resources for health research. Many ICMR institutes are
currently contributing to strengthening health research capacity in the
country by offering short term programs as well as Masters or Doctoral Strengths of ICMR
level programs and fellowships.
Infrastructure
ICMR plans to strengthen the national capacity to carry out multidisciplinary • ICMR HQ. and ICMR
institutes
research by training and mentoring researchers in research institutions,
universities and govt. medical colleges in the next seven years. In addition • Multidisciplinary research
units
to strengthening the current capacity building initiatives at ICMR, it is
aimed to build up the national capacity to carry out multidisciplinary, • Model rural health research
units
high end research focusing on skill building. ICMR would work not only
on empowering the young and middle level faculty in medical colleges Capacity Building
and other research institutions by engaging, mentoring and supporting • Masters and post-doctoral
research programs in nationally relevant areas, but also promote talented programs
researchers working abroad to come back to India. The overall focus • Fellowship programs
will be on developing capacity to undertake research which will result in • Certificate courses
either prevention and control of diseases or improvement of health of the
• Research methodology and
people and health systems. For this, ICMR plans to adopt a three-pronged scientific writing workshops
approach of customized courses for undertaking advanced high end and
• Short-term Studentship
basic start-up health research; strengthening the available infrastructure
program
in elite research institutions, medical colleges, research institutions; and
establishment of centers of excellence and regional mentorship hubs. Others
• MD Ph.D
Additionally, ICMR plans to acquire an independent university or • PDF
equivalent status to strongly position itself as a teaching agency and • RA
provide an opportunity to students to obtain a postgraduate or doctoral
• International Fellowships
degree under the ICMR Brand.

ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-24 13

 Various domain areas identified that require capacity building in India include research prioritization
in case of communicable and non-communicable diseases, research methodology; basic and
advanced biostatistics, data analytics, bioethics, health economics, health informatics, health
technology assessment, traditional medicine, health promotion, basic bio-medical research,
implementation research, clinical trials and cross-cutting areas like health systems strengthening,
program evaluation, disease modeling, systematic reviews and Cochrane reviews. Research
mentorship initiatives will be given special importance.

Salient Achievements of ICMR in this Area

• Post-doctoral, DNB and Masters Programmes: Various ICMR Institutes such as NICED, NICPR,
NIP, NIE undertake Ph.D and Masters level specialized and multi-disciplinary training program/
courses for professionals in identified specific areas.
• Fellowships (RA/SRF/JRF): The Indian Council of Medical Research awards Research Associate
Fellowships and Senior Research Fellowships to young scientists. ICMR also awards Postdoctoral
Research Fellowships, Junior Research Fellowships, Short-term visiting fellowships.
• Research Methodology Courses: ICMR and its institutes carry out Research Methodology courses
for the young and middle level faculty members. Most of these programs have a hands-on project
development component.
• Specific Thematic Courses: ICMR institutes organize thematic and subject specific courses on
environmental and occupational health, Cytopathology, Tribal health, Implementation research,
epidemiology, biostatistics, statistical analysis, entomology and outbreak investigation.
• Short-term Studentship Programme: ICMR implements the Short Term Studentship Program to
promote interest and aptitude for research among medical under graduate students to be done
by the students with mentoring and supervision by the medical college faculty members. An
additional incentive is that meritorious papers emerging from student’s research are considered for
publication in Indian Journal of Medical Research.
• Certificate courses and WHO training course: Some examples include Associate Fellow of
Industrial Health by NIOH, WHO courses by NIP, Good Clinical Practices by NIRRH, Bio risk
management by NIV, Bio-safety in Laboratory practices, and a course in Entomology by VCRC.
• Training opportunities at various ICMR institutes: Various institutes have the facilities and
programs to train the professionals in specialized areas like genomics, Molecular Biology, cGMP,
Genome Sequencing, Bioinformatics facilities, Preclinical Reproductive and Genetic Toxicology,
Andrology Clinic, Animal House facilities etc.

Objectives of Pillar 1: Strengthen Health Research Capacity

1. To develop programme and customized courses for enhancing skills and introduce high end
schemes with a focus on mentorship for established and new researchers to enable them to
undertake basic, clinical, implementation and translational research.
2. To provide infrastructural and mentoring support to select institutions and medical colleges and
individuals to undertake actionable research.
3. To establish regional virtual as well as physical centres of excellence which will act as hubs of
mentorship and capacity building

Transforming Health of Indian People

14 through Responsive Research
Objective 1: To develop programs and customized courses for enhancing
skills and introduce high end schemes with a focus on mentorship for
established and new researchers to enable them to undertake basic, clinical,
implementation and translational research

Stakeholders
• Junior and middle level scientists of ICMR and its institutes and other national research and
academic institutions.
• Junior, middle, senior faculty and super specialists, medical students, post graduates of
medical colleges and research/academic institutions, non-government organizations
• Programme managers of sub-district, district, state and national levels
• Community representatives and community gatekeepers
• Specialized skilled researchers
• Ethics committee members

Strategies
• Short and long term programs oriented to creating top class young scientists
• Prepare or modify existing customized courses focusing on training for skill-building
• Short-term customized 5-10 days general and thematic research methodology and scientific
writing workshops at regular intervals in colleges and institutes
• Customized Masters/Doctorate level courses/Post-doctoral fellowship (PDF) on the ICMR
institutional platform/at other academic or research organizations
• Program to attract young investigators from overseas
• Pursue creation of ICMR University
• Novel high end research schemes combining training in research and large scale funding
opportunities
• Online courses like, induction training courses for young researchers, certificate courses and
other specialized courses: try university affiliation
• Introduce rewards and incentives for outstanding research performance and output at
institute as well as at individual level
• Inter-sectoral, national and international collaboration for training and capacity building
initiatives in specific/ identified areas

Deliverables
At end of 3 years At end of 5 years At end of 7 years
Two yearly induction
•  • 
Continue two yearly induction • 
Continue two yearly induction
trainings for ICMR scientists, training for ICMR scientists, training for ICMR scientists,
faculty, program managers, faculty, program managers, faculty, program managers,
postgraduates postgraduates postgraduates
• 
50 ICMR scientists and 500 • 
Another 50 ICMR scientists • 
Almost all ICMR scientists
junior and middle level faculty and 500 junior and middle and most of junior and middle
from academic institutions level faculty from academic level faculty members are
trained for high end, skilled institutions trained for high trained for high end, skilled
and basic research methods end, skilled and basic and basic research methods
research methods
• 
Five online courses on basic • 
Another five online courses on
and cross cutting areas • 
Another five online courses on basic and cross cutting areas
prepared and launched basic and cross cutting areas prepared and launched and
prepared and launched the process goes on

ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-24 15

 At end of 3 years At end of 5 years At end of 7 years
Two regional thematic
•  • 
Continue two regional • 
Institutionalizing a system for
workshops in medical colleges thematic workshops in rewarding young researchers
per year conducted medical colleges per year in India and granting twenty
five rewards
• 
Young Faculty Research • 
Young Faculty Research
Promotion Program (YFRPP)- Promotion Program (YFRPP)- • 
Continue three regional
prepared and launched by of ICMR is functional thematic workshops in
ICMR medical colleges and process
• 
Linkages with state and
•  goes on every year
Application for ICMR national level public and
University status submitted private institutions, MCI and • 
Most of the young faculty is
and bill for Cabinet Review HRD ministry established registered with YFRPP
drafted • 
High end research training • 
Continue activity with state
• 
Planning for high end program with research grant and national level public and
research training program awarded to 10 researchers [5 private institutions and with
completed per year] the HRD ministry
• 
University or equivalent status
for ICMR attained
• 
High end research training
program with research grant
awarded to 20 researchers [5
per year]

Objective 2: To provide infrastructural and mentoring support to select

institutions/medical colleges and individuals to undertake actionable research
Stakeholders
• Govt. medical, dental, pharmacy, nursing and AYUSH colleges
• Academic organizations and research institutions
• State level organizations engaged in knowledge generation
• Private institutions, non-governmental organizations, community based organizations

Strategies
• Needs assessment, identification and selection of appropriate institutions, organizations for
undertaking theme-based action oriented research.
• Identification and providing necessary logistics infrastructure support to select institutions for
providing mentoring support
• Provide infrastructure (logistics and equipment) support to the identified elite institutions
acting as regional hubs to initiate capacity building in identified areas
• Engage junior and middle level faculty by undertaking actionable research in medical colleges
• Infrastructure strengthening at partner institutes including elite institutions

Deliverables
At end of 3 years At end of 5 years At end of 7 years
Algorithms for providing the
•  • 
Ten more centres of • 
Identify need based more
infrastructure support and excellence for mentoring centers of excellence for
mechanisms for support skilled high end research mentoring skilled high end
prepared and 3 more regional centres research and more regional
to mentor basic research centres to mentor basic research
methods identified methods

Transforming Health of Indian People

16 through Responsive Research
 At end of 3 years At end of 5 years At end of 7 years
Completed assessment
•  • 
Identification of 50 • 
Almost every medical college/
of academic/ research academic/research research institution has
institutions to provide institutions) identified for actionable research proposals
support granting the support to initiated across the country
undertake action oriented
• 
Ten centres of excellence
research [1-2 assigned to
for training and mentoring
each ICMR institution]
for high end research and 5
regional centres to mentor • 
100 more actionable
basic research methods research program with team
identified of investigators started
• 
50 actionable research
program with team of
investigators started

Objective 3: To establish regional virtual as well as physical centres of

excellence which will act as hubs of mentorship and capacity building
Stakeholders
• Govt. medical, dental, pharmacy, nursing and AYUSH colleges
• Academic organizations and research institutions
• State level organizations engaged in knowledge generation
• Private institutions, non-governmental organizations, community based organizations

Strategies
• Finalize objective criteria for selecting institutions or organizations as regional hubs for
mentorships
• Creating centres of excellence and mentorships for capacity building at state, regional,
national levels
• Prepare guidelines to provide infrastructure support to select institutions or organizations for
imparting capacity building
• Orient and re-orient the faculty/resource persons for providing courses/training

Deliverables
At end of 3 years At end of 5 years At end of 7 years
Guidelines for identifying the
•  • 
Identification of 5 additional • 
Identification of 5 additional
regional hubs are in place regional academic/ research regional academic/ research
institutions to act as regional institutions to act as regional
• 
Identification of 5 regional
hubs in years 4/5 hubs in years 6/7
academic/ research
institutions to act as regional • 
Training of Trainers at • 
Training of Trainers at the 5
hubs completed the 5 identified regional additional identified regional
•  hubs - academic/research hubs - academic/research
Training of Trainers at
institutions) in years 4/5 institutions) in years 6/7
the 5 identified regional
hubs -academic/research
institutions) identified

ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-24 17

 Expected Outcomes
• Committed well-trained human resources and centers will be developed to carry out the need
based action oriented research in the public and private sector
• Researchers and officials from ICMR and non-ICMR research/ academic institutions will be
trained both in public and private sectors in various research domains mentioned earlier
• The environment to carry out locally and nationally relevant research and infrastructure and
manpower to carry out need based action oriented research will be created
• High end research projects on mission mode will be initiated
• Research collaborations and networks will be developed. Sustainable capacity building platforms
will be built and potential funding mechanisms will be established

Transforming Health of Indian People

18 through Responsive Research
 Pillar 2: Rationalizing Data Systems and
Providing Easy Access Research Platforms
Platforms for Next Generation Medical Research:
The Fourth Paradigm

ICMR generates huge volumes of data through intramural and extramural research programs. Making
these datasets as well as the data generated through publicly funded research available to different
stakeholders through efficient data systems to create a research platform would help in accelerating
research and improving public health. It will open avenues for estimating/ comparing disease burden,
hypothesis generation, evidence for policy formulation and evaluation of interventions. In order to
enhance wider utilization of ICMR research data by stakeholders, ICMR will develop and implement
ICMR’s policy on data sharing and access. Further, ICMR will transform individual data sources
into thematic data repositories and assimilate the repositories to a comprehensive data warehouse.
The data warehouse will be made available to stakeholders for use through advance data analytics
platform. Focus will be given on wider utilization of ICMR research and enhancement of national and
international collaborations.

Rationale
Publicly funded research data is a public property and should be made
available for public consumption. ICMR as a public funded premier
national medical research agency, generates huge amount of data
through its intramural and extramural research programs. The data Strengths of ICMR
ranges from simple text based patient profiles, to complex molecular
• Extensive expertise in
structures and images. Availability of research data generated by epidemiology
ICMR in a timely and responsible manner to different stakeholders
• Large scale data sources of
will be extremely useful in accelerating research and improving public population based National
health. It will contribute to estimating and comparing disease burden, registries, surveys
hypothesis generation, evidence for policy formulation and evaluation • Surveillance systems on diseases
of interventions. of national and international
priorities
ICMR has developed data management portals for several of its research • Structured disease specific/
programs and provides access to the data in the form of documents and thematic digital databases
reports which have been used by different stakeholders for research. available
However, exponentially increasing requirement of quality data and • Examples of collaborative data
developments in informatics and data analytics have necessitated access and sharing initiatives
need for improvements in current data management practices at with national and international
agencies exist
ICMR. Few areas that need improvement include development and
implementation of ICMR policy on data sharing and access which will • Infrastructure and expertise in
streamline the procedural bottlenecks in data sharing by researchers, data analytics available

reducing diversity in data formats and platforms through development • Work on big data analytics has
of guidelines and SOPs which will bring uniform standards in data been initiated
collection and improvement in quality of data, improving access to

ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-24 19

 data generated by ICMR programs/ projects particularly medium and small programs/ projects,
organizing data sources under thematic repositories and comprehensive warehouse and finally
enabling intelligent data analytics on a robust research data platform. Activities of ICMR in this area
will not only improve utilization, outreach and public health impact of research data produced by
ICMR but also by other national agencies. This will facilitate national and international collaborations
and position ICMR into the next generation medical research- the fourth paradigm.

Important ICMR Data Sources which Impacted Public Health

• National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB): Initiated in 1972, contains population based data
on dietary intake, demographic, socioeconomic and anthropometry. The data has been compiled
from 10 states of India. The data is being used extensively in assessing nature, magnitude and
distribution of nutritional problems and dietary patterns in the country.
• National Cancer Registry Program (NCRP): Initiated in 1982, the registry contains data from 31
population-based cancer registries on the incidence, morbidity and mortality. There are 29 hospital
based cancer registries collecting data on management and patterns of care. The data is being used
extensively for correlating environmental and other factors with changes in cancer prevalence patterns.
• Antimicrobial Resistance Network: Initiated in 2013 contains hospital based data on antimicrobial
resistance among six groups of pathogens. The data is being compiled from 10 tertiary care
hospitals. The data has been used to devise evidence based treatment guidelines which will guide
treatment.
• Hospital-based Surveillance of Rotavirus: Initiated in 2005, contains clinical, epidemiological
and virological features of severe rotavirus disease. The data is being collected from 32 sentinel
hospitals across the Country. The data was useful to estimate the rotavirus disease burden in the
country and understand molecular epidemiology of the virus. The surveillance network will also be
useful to document the impact of rotavirus vaccination.
• ICMR Influenza Network: Initiated in 2003, the influenza network collects clinical, epidemiological
data from patients with influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI)
from several clinical virology laboratories geographically distributed in Northern, Western, Eastern,
Southern, and Central India, to date over 100,000 clinical samples have been assayed and
archived. The surveillance database also contains data on genetic characterization of the influenza
viruses isolated. The network provides useful data for monitoring circulating influenza strains,
detection of emerging/re-emerging viruses, and define seasonality in different geographical areas.
• Data from many ongoing object-oriented communicable and non-communicable disease surveillance
programs such as bacterial meningitis, influenza, anti-malarial drug resistance, sickle cell anaemia,
XDR tuberculosis, leprosy etc. are available.

Objectives of Pillar 2: Rationalizing Data Systems and Providing

Easy Access Research Platforms
1. To develop and implement ICMR Policy for sharing and access to health/biomedical research
data
2. To setup disease-specific/thematic repositories and warehouse of health/biomedical research
data
3. To promote ICMR research data warehouse by various stakeholders for improving research and
public health

Transforming Health of Indian People

20 through Responsive Research
Objective 1: Develop and implement ICMR policy for sharing and access to
health/biomedical research data
Stakeholders
• Academicians
• Industry
• Researchers
• Policy makers
• Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeiTY)
• National Informatics Centre

Strategies
• Review national and international policies on data access and sharing with reference to health/
biomedical research data
• Establish a multidisciplinary/multi-stakeholder committee for developing, guiding and monitoring
implementation of ICMR policy on sharing and access of health/biomedical research data
• Operationalize the ICMR policy on data sharing and access across ICMR institutes and ICMR
funded research

Deliverables
At end of 3 years At end of 5 years At end of 7 years
• ICMR policy on sharing and • ICMR policy on sharing and • Updating ICMR policy based
access of health/ biomedical access of health/biomedical on the experience, review and
research data developed research data reviewed then national and international
needs
• Operational guidelines for policy • Policy implemented for
implementation developed extramural projects • Dissemination of the policy
and key findings to relevant
• ICMR policy on sharing and
stakeholders
access of health /biomedical
data implemented for
intramural programs of ICMR
through ICMR institutes
• Implementation of policy for
extramural programs of ICMR
initiated

Objective 2: To setup disease-specific/thematic repositories and warehouse of

health/biomedical research data
Stakeholders
• Data generators (researchers, medical professionals)
• Data users (public, researchers, policy makers, industry)

Strategies
• Develop infrastructure for data digitization and electronic data capture through establishing
data management cells in ICMR institutes
• Establish local data-repositories at ICMR institutes and centralized data repository at ICMR HQ,
by incremental mirroring of data from local data repositories
• Develop comprehensive data warehouse at ICMR and establish research platform for mining of
data from multiple sources

ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-24 21

 Deliverables
At end of 3 years At end of 5 years At end of 7 years
• Data repositories in five • ICMR health/ biomedical • Bi-directional links of the
thematic areas established research data warehouse data sources in ICMR data
operationalized warehouses with other types
• SOPs for uniform data
of Government data sources
sharing and management • Mining tools and algorithms
made operational
for institutional repositories for mining data from
developed heterogeneous sources
developed and implemented
• Data management cells at
ICMR institutes for digitization
of local data sources developed

Objective 3: To promote and use ICMR research data warehouse by various

stakeholders for improving research and public health
Stakeholders
• ICMR institutes working in thematic areas
• National experts
• Statisticians
• Program managers
• Researchers
• Medical professionals
• Industry

Strategies
• Encourage use of ICMR research data platform for estimating disease burden, research
prioritization and fund allocation
• Brainstorming among the stakeholders to identify research questions to be answered based on
additional data analysis
• Generate evidence based on secondary data analysis for program evaluation and policy
formulation

Deliverables
At end of 3 years At end of 5 years At end of 7 years
• Modules and SOPs for data • ICMR health/ biomedical • Review the ICMR health/
integration, data warehouse research data warehouse biomedical research platform
finalized operationalized for identification of gaps and
improvements
• Research platform developed • 2-3 big data analytics
research projects using ICMR • Generate evidence for relevant
• 2-3 big data analytics
research platform completed stakeholders for formulation of
research projects planned
policies on thematic areas
• 7-10 big data analytics
research projects using ICMR
research platform completed

Transforming Health of Indian People

22 through Responsive Research
Expected Outcomes
• ICMR Policy for sharing and access of biomedical research data will be developed
• ICMR Research Data Repository and Warehouse providing access to global researchers will be
established
• Data generated by ICMR funded projects, ICMR Institutes and other important national health
databases will be rationalized by themes and diseases areas
• Capacity for big data analytics will be developed in the country
• Research platform providing access to ICMR research data for interested researchers and other
stakeholders will be created which will help to identify and bridge gap as well as generate
evidence for policy formulation

ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-24 23

 Pillar 3: Leveraging Traditional Medicine
Translational Research in Traditional Medicine for
Trans-national Use

India’s policies and programmes support research related to traditional medicines and emphasize
on maximizing benefits of this important resource of the country. Building on the strengths of the
infrastructure, experience and expertise in traditional medicine, ICMR plans to extend its research
support to traditional medicine researchers and academicians to take the benefits of Indian traditional
medicines to the national and global level. Realizing that conducting traditional medicine research
on modern platforms has formidable challenges, ICMR proposes to build capacity among AYUSH
researchers, develop clinical research guidelines, establish inter-disciplinary network and conduct
collaborative research with AYUSH partners.

Rationale
Based on a recommendation from ICMR’s Scientific Advisory Board to
focus on time-honoured traditional therapies as valuable additions to the
existing therapeutic options of modern medicine for selected conditions;
Strengths of ICMR ICMR, over the subsequent years, developed procedures, protocols and
systems to support traditional medicine research. In the recent times,
Infrastructure
several reforms concerning ethical and regulatory reviews have taken
• National Institute of Traditional
Medicine has been established
place in the country as applicable to clinical trials. Further, the Govt.
in Belagavi. of India’s current programs and policies are supportive of research on
traditional medicines in India. Recently, Parliamentary Standing Committee
• Medicinal plants division is
functional at ICMR. recommended ICMR to develop a framework for validation of classical
and high priority AYUSH formulations and facilitate inter-disciplinary
• There is ongoing collaboration
with AYUSH research Councils. AYUSH research. In this context, ICMR acknowledges the existence of
formidable challenges in bringing traditional medicine research on the
• Division of basic medical
science is supporting extramural modern medicine platforms and considers that ICMR institutions have
research in traditional medicine necessary skills and competencies to overcome these challenges to make
area. the collaborative research with traditional medicine more meaningful.
ICMR believes that with proper strategic backing traditional medicine can
Expertise be positioned to contribute in improving the health of Indian people. ICMR
• Inter-disciplinary research
proposes partnership development involving the Ministries of Health and
network exists.
Family Welfare and AYUSH, Department of Science and Technology,
Experience ICMR institutions, AYUSH research councils and institutions and health
• Multi-centric trials of AYUSH researchers from all sectors. In view of the above, the revised ICMR
products have been done. strategy wishes to pursue the key objectives of identifying key researchable
• Compendium of pharmacopeia areas in traditional medicine, providing training for traditional medicine
standards and monographs on researchers in pharmacological and clinical research and frame guidelines;
Indian medicinal plants have establishing national level inter-disciplinary research facility and a network
been published. for traditional medicine research and conducting collaborative research
on identified researchable areas in traditional medicine.

Transforming Health of Indian People

24 through Responsive Research
 Salient Achievements of ICMR in this Area
• Centre for advanced research have been set up by ICMR.
• Programs of traditional medicine in the areas of clinical and pharmacological research have been
supported.
• ICMR has funded extramural research projects on traditional medicines.
• ICMR has supported centre for basic, pharmacological and toxicological research for traditional
medicines.
• A compendium of traditional remedies & techniques has been prepared.
• Monographs on medicinal plants of India have been published.
• Through Central Biostatistical Monitoring Unit (CBMU), ICMR conducted multi-centric trials of
traditional medicine related procedures and products.
• ICMR institutes have made contributions in specific domains or areas related to specific diseases
or drugs.
• ICMR has established a specialized institute for traditional medicine research at Belagavi,
Karnataka.
• ICMR-AYUSH Mission has been established for drug development from AYUSH leads.

Objectives of Pillar 3: Leveraging Traditional Medicine

1. Identify key researchable areas in traditional medicine and provide training for traditional
medicine researchers in pre-clinical and clinical research and frame guidelines
2. Establish national level inter-disciplinary research facility and a network for traditional medicine
research
3. Conduct collaborative research on identified researchable areas in traditional medicine

Objective 1: Identify key researchable areas in traditional medicine and

provide training for traditional medicine researchers in pre-clinical and clinical
research and frame guidelines
Stakeholders
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
• Ministry of AYUSH
• ICMR institutions and centres, AYUSH councils
• Department of Bio-technology
• Department of Science and Technology
• State councils and agencies dealing with codified and non-codified knowledge holders
• Health researchers from all sectors

Strategies
• Brainstorming within ICMR
• Meetings and discussions with stakeholders
• Development of modules in collaboration with stakeholders including industry

ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-24 25

 Deliverables
At end of 3 years At end of 5 years At end of 7 years
A policy document that
•  • 
ICMR-NITM-Belagavi Model for collaboration /
• 
integrates traditional medicine -AYUSH industry partnership partnerships between AYUSH
with modern medicine formalized and research institutes
developed replicated at multiple sites in
• 
Trained inter-disciplinary
the country
• 
Guidelines for clinical teams with skills and expertise
research in traditional needed for traditional • 
Additional levels of training
medicine framed medicine research established of AYUSH researchers and
trainers initiated
• ‘Good laboratory practices A compendium on traditional
• 
document’ developed healers’ knowledge developed
for dispensing traditional to preserve the ancient
preparations knowledge and practices
Training modules for
• 
codified and non-codified
traditional knowledge holders
& traditional practitioners
developed
At least three training
• 
programmes on ‘Clinical
research methods’ for AYUSH
researchers/ practitioners
(30-50 per programme) for
creating research workforce
in AYUSH (NITM-Belagavi)
planned and conducted
• Online programmes for
clinical research involving
AYUSH / traditional
formulations introduced
New researchable leads from
• 
traditional medicine identified
through consultations

Objective 2: Establish national level inter-disciplinary research facility and a

network for traditional medicine research
Stakeholders
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
• Ministry of AYUSH
• Department of Science and Technology
• ICMR institutions and centres, AYUSH councils
• State councils and agencies dealing with codified and non-codified knowledge holders
• Health researchers from all sectors
• Allied health agencies
• Pharmaceutical industries and laboratories

Strategies
• Strengthen and position NITM-Belagavi as National facility for traditional medicine research
• Brain-storming with stakeholders to develop framework for research and practice of traditional
medicine including application of technologies

Transforming Health of Indian People

26 through Responsive Research
• Create and use network and infrastructure for multi-disciplinary collaborative research on
traditional medicine
• Develop strategic partnerships between stakeholder organizations
• Develop strategic partnership with leading institutions from outside ICMR
• Network with ICMR institutions with core strength and experience to contribute in this area
• Generate joint strategies with AYUSH counterparts for working opportunities, co-ordination,
monitoring and regular reviews

Deliverables
At end of 3 years At end of 5 years At end of 7 years
Mechanism for functional
•  National network with core
•  Unified, compressive digital
• 
research based infrastructure strengths and experience resource on scientifically
appropriate for undertaking established by ICMR validated Indian traditional
basic, applied and clinical medicinal plants developed
• 
Development work on
research in traditional
monographs, quality • 
Development work on
medicine established
standards, phytochemical monographs, quality
• ‘Centre of excellence in reference standards and standards, phytochemical
ethno-medicine / non- safety review monographs reference standards and
codified traditional medicine’ continued safety review monographs
established with the support continued
of AYUSH at NITM-Belagavi
• 
Development of monographs,
quality standards, Phyto-
chemical Reference standards
and safety review monographs
continued

Objective 3: Conduct collaborative research on identified researchable areas in

traditional medicine
Stakeholders
• Ministry of AYUSH
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
• National and State health systems
• Department of Science and Technology
• Regulatory and approval authorities
• ICMR institutions and centres
• Allied health agencies
• AYUSH councils and institutions, state councils
• Health researchers from all sectors including health and bio-medical researchers
• Pharmaceutical industries and laboratories

Strategies
• Brain-storming within ICMR and with stakeholders
• Involve ICMR institutions/centers to undertake basic, clinical and applied research on traditional
knowledge based products including proven products of AYUSH systems
• Identify, develop and promote core strengths of ICMR institutions to contribute to research in
traditional medicine

ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-24 27

 Deliverables
At end of 3 years At end of 5 years At end of 7 years
At least three priorities
•  • Pre-clinical evaluations At least one new drug lead
• 
with solutions in traditional completed and mechanism from traditional medicine
medicine for collaborative for undertaking clinical successfully evaluated
clinical research by an ICMR studies in collaboration with through phases of trials
institute finalized AYUSH for selected practices/
Evidence base for non-
• 
preparations finalized
• Documentation of the codified traditional medicinal
traditional knowledge to • 
Established infrastructure used practices developed through
identify potential leads to carry out discovery research robust observational studies
completed to understand mechanism
•  of action of at least two
Research protocols on the
therapeutic interventions from
identified products finalized
traditional medicines
• 
Inter-disciplinary research
in pharmaco-epidemiology
& pharmaco-vigilance
on traditional medicine
formulations initiated

Expected Outcomes
• Establishment of research collaboration with key AYUSH stakeholders
• Skills developed for research in AYUSH/ Traditional medicine
• Generate mechanism for establishment of clinical trials unit for traditional medicine research to
meet the demands of specific clinical trial needs of multi-centric studies
• Guidelines for clinical research in traditional medicine framed
• AYUSH/ traditional medicine researchers trained in skills related to research

Transforming Health of Indian People

28 through Responsive Research
 Pillar 4: Enable Evidence to Policy
Translation
Closing the Knowledge to Policy Gap

Many ICMR research outcomes have benefitted the national disease control programs and helped
in reducing the disease burden in the past. ICMR aims to strengthen evidence based approach for
policy making in the country. Major plans include establishment of a Evidence to Policy (E2P) Unit
as well as Medical Technology Assessment Board (MTAB) in the next 7 years to facilitate introduction
of indigenously developed affordable technologies, devices and products for the use of a common
man. It is important to maximize knowledge translation activities and create enabling environment for
bridging the research and policy gap.

Rationale
ICMR has been working on generation of evidence or knowledge related to diseases of public health
importance in India since its inception. Translational component of the research output of ICMR
institutions has helped policy development on several occasions, however, much more can be done.
Very often, a gap between research, decision making and clinical practice remains. The shared
conceptual clarity among researchers and policy makers about the scope and nature of health
research to be conducted that could have policy implications is insufficient. In past, in absence
of evidence from systematic reviews, the national health programs have
benefited by the operational research carried out in the country. The
scope for knowledge brokering, a strategy to close the ’know-do gap’ is
Strengths of ICMR
expanding. Thoughtfully conducted systematic reviews can fill this gap
efficiently. The science of evidence-based medicine (EBM) is still in its Expertise
infancy in the country. ICMR has supported the EBM initiative in India by • 8 Technologies already
developed & many are in
funding an Advanced Center for EBM (2007-2011) that hosted the South
pipeline
Asian Cochrane Network & Centre (SACNC) at the Christian Medical
College, Vellore. In 2007, ICMR procured a national subscription to The Experience
Cochrane Library making it accessible to all Indian scientists. This was a • Network of institutes &
centres have lot of capability
major achievement that opened the doors of EBM in India. It is experienced
and trained manpower
that there is lag between the knowledge becoming available and that being
actually used by policy makers. ICMR is proposing to address the issue • National subscription of the
Cochrane library
of gap described above. The overarching aim is to strengthen evidence
for policy making in the country. ICMR institutes across the country work • Experience of hosting SACNC
very closely with the State health governments. Civil servants, politicians Infrastructure
and academicians continue to express concerns about the way policy is • Division of ITR has been
made, and whether it is ready to meet future challenges. The costs of established and expertise in
policy failures can be significantly high. Therefore, ICMR intends to re- IPR available
strategize how it can make research more credible and accountable to • Established CAR on EBCH
people’s needs through appropriate policy making.

ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-24 29

 Examples of Evidence to Policy Translation by ICMR
• Introduction of DOTS strategy for tuberculosis.
• Introducing Multi-drug therapy for leprosy irrespective of type of leprosy is likely to find a place in
the policy to treat leprosy patients.
• Novel vector control tools for Malaria have been evaluated and introduced in the national vector
borne disease control program.
• ICMR’s landmark work on surveillance on polio viruses led to introduction of the oral polio vaccine
[OPV] in the national program and subsequent initiatives that led to Polio eradication in the
country.
• National Policy for Cervical, Oral & Breast Cancer Screening was introduced based on the
evidence generated by ICMR.
• Development of hand held Magnivisualizer for Cervical cancer screening has been one of the
recent ICMR achievements. This field friendly instrument provides an opportunity for less skilled
peripheral health staff to diagnose cervical cancer in women.
• A 6 primer LAMP test for faster & reliable diagnosis of Leishmania infection in the field has been
developed.
• An indigenous Sandwich ELISA test based kit for early diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis
infection has been developed.
• JE, Hepatitis A&E and Kyasanur Forest Disease Vaccine technology has been transferred to the
industry for vaccine development.
• Fifteen Systematic Reviews on priority topics have been completed by Center for Advanced
Research on EBCH and Div. of Child Health; AMR, Cancer Diabetes, INOSA guideline.

Objectives of Pillar 4: Enable Evidence to Policy Translation

1. Build capacity for evidence-based health policy development
2. Establish national level health technology assessment mechanism for use in health policy
3. Knowledge Translation (KT) by engaging with stakeholders to share relevant, reliable and timely
research evidence and syntheses

Objective 1: Build capacity for evidence-based health policy development

Stakeholders
• Researchers
• Policy makers
• Health administrators
• Regulatory bodies
• National and State Health Systems Resource Centers
• National Knowledge Network (NKN) partners

Strategies
• Capacity building for conducting systematic reviews and policy briefs
• Creation of “Evidence to Policy Training Centre” for skill building of health professionals,
scientists and policy makers
• Evidence-to-policy capacity enhancement workshop, to improve policy-makers’ capacity for
evidence-informed policy-making (EIP)

Transforming Health of Indian People

30 through Responsive Research
Deliverables
At end of 3 years At end of 5 years At end of 7 years
At least 2 workshop/ focused
•  • 
At least 2 workshops on • 
All ICMR Institutes and
trainings on systematic systematic reviews conducted approximately 500
reviews, economic analyses per year at ICMR institutes or professionals trained in
conducted per year at ICMR regional centres conduct of systematic reviews
institutes or regional centres and economic analyses
• 
Evidence to Policy Training
• 
Training of 2 scientists in Centre created in ICMR • 
At least 25 systematic
economic analysis •  reviews and 50 policy briefs
Evidence to policy centre
completed by ICMR
• 
15 systematic reviews on linked with Medical
nationally relevant Research Technology Assessment • 
Examples of at least one policy
questions completed Board [MTAB] brief used for decision making
•  •  per state per year every year
Framework for evidence to Discussions initiated with
from 6th year onward
policy centre finalized SHSRC regarding use of policy
briefs in decision making
• 
15 policy briefs prepared

Objective 2: Establish national level health technology assessment mechanism

to guide health policy
Stakeholders
• Researchers
• Policy makers
• Health administrators
• Regulatory bodies
• Health economists
• Bioethicists
• Social scientists
• Communities

Strategies
• Create a Health Technology Assessment framework to evaluate technologies (drugs, devices,
procedures other clinical, public health and organizational interventions and organizational
systems used in health care) for assessing their safety, effectiveness, cost effectiveness,
social, ethical and legal aspects
• Evaluate identified priority technologies/ processes, through HTA
• Recommend cost effective technologies for the policy uptake/ programmatic introduction

Deliverables
At end of 3 years At end of 5 years At end of 7 years
Priority setting/topic selection
•  • 
3-5 technologies/processes • 
Up to 10 innovations from
for HTA using India state-level evaluated through the ICMR and 5 indigenously
disease burden estimates for proposed HTA framework developed diagnostic products
prioritization and planning processed through HTA
• 
A special purpose agency
completed
(section 25 company)/ • 
Impact evaluation of at least
• 
HTA framework for PPP model to handle 10 indigenously developed
technology/process entrepreneurial competitive products (diagnostics,
assessment established awards for medical technology vaccines), processes and
development established Guidelines intended for basic,
• 
Training of core group of ICMR
clinical and public health use
scientists in HTA completed
initiated/completed

ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-24 31

 Objective 3: Knowledge Translation (KT) by engaging with stakeholders to
share relevant, reliable and timely research evidence and syntheses
Stakeholders
• Policymakers
• Researchers
• Communities/consumers
• Media
• Health administrators
• Regulators
• Health insurers
• Industry

Strategies
• Produce evidence syntheses mechanisms and platforms: rapid reviews/policy briefs
• Disseminate evidence through media briefings/national consultation etc.
• Establish e-portals for evidence generated to influence policies, sensitize affected and vulnerable
communities
• Develop a formal mechanism for linking research findings with local health policies and
treatment practices by engaging with key NGOs and journalists

Deliverables
At end of 3 years At end of 5 years At end of 7 years
Guidance documents for
•  • 
Yearly 2 Media briefings/ • 
An online database of policy
synthesis and analysis created 2 National consultation/2 briefs for uptake by the policy
Dissemination meetings of makers created
• 
5 Fact sheets for
research findings for policy
dissemination of evidence • 
Uptake of evidence-based
makers and media conducted
created knowledge products into
• 
At least 5 e-portals for state health care system
dissemination to community established
developed

Expected Outcomes
• Mechanisms established to enable knowledge translation for health policy. Health policy
decision–making may become more cohesive, evidence based and rational
• Use of evidence in decision-making for health policies will help to bridge the ‘Evidence to
Policy Gap’
• Medical Technology Assessment Board will perform cost-effectiveness evaluations for
interventions such as new drugs, diagnostics, vaccines and programs. This might help in cost
savings
• The decision-making landscape in the country will be much improved

Transforming Health of Indian People

32 through Responsive Research
 Pillar 5: Strengthen Program
Implementation through Research
Meeting the Unmet, Filling the Gaps, Sharpening Effective
Delivery

ICMR supports the Ministry of Health and Family welfare, Govt. of India and State Govts. in tackling
public health problems by providing key inputs, evidence and guidance in the areas of epidemiology,
monitoring and evaluation, introduction of newer tools like – diagnostics, drugs, devices and vaccines.
ICMR also develops and assists National programmes in developing guidelines for various health
conditions; advices regarding scale up of programme and undertakes capacity building of the
programme staff for surveillance and outbreak investigations etc. It is planned to significantly improve
the existing programmatic engagement at the national and state levels to improve benefits to the
community by providing critical research inputs.

Rationale
Strengths of ICMR
Government sponsored health programmes are designed to
comprehensively and equitably provide preventive, curative and Expertise
rehabilitative health care services for priority public health concerns. Since • Outbreaks/epidemic
investigation
health is a State subject, States adopt the national programmes in addition
to their own initiatives. ICMR institutions spread out across the country • Disease burden studies
and mandated with specific focused areas of research have traditionally • Epidemiological surveys
provided several useful inputs by working closely with State health systems
• Clinical Trials
and National programmes. ICMR has worked extensively in the areas of
Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, vector borne diseases, polio, rotavirus, nutrition, Experience
maternal and child health, immunization, bacterial meningitis surveillance, • Drug trials, vaccine
cancer, non-communicable diseases and health system research. ICMR trials, community based
will strongly focus on supporting and strengthening health programmes intervention trials, insecticide
through relevant and focused research. In addition, new models, tools and trials

techniques shall be researched for policy and programme purposes. There • Validating intervention tools
is a felt need to further strengthen bilateral linkages between programme
and researchers and improve timely uptake of research results. ICMR will Infrastructure
work with programme implementers to align research more meaningfully • Institutional network
to health systems with a view to understand barriers and improve health • Collaboration with states
care delivery, access and identify timely solutions. & other national and
international agencies
• Trained/skilled human
resources

ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-24 33

 Salient Achievements of ICMR in this Area
• Active participation and substantial contribution in polio eradication programme in India, including
developing post polio eradication vaccination policies.
• Development of model projects to control vector borne diseases like malaria, dengue, kala-azar,
filariasis and their field evaluations.
• Development of National guidelines for management of health conditions like infertility, RTIs/STIs;
newer drugs like bedaquiline for TB, misoprestol, type 2 diabetes mellitus, various sites of cancers etc.
• Building laboratory network for quick detection of emerging infections like virology diagnostic
research laboratory network, respiratory illness network, viral hemorrhagic fever virus network,
congenital rubella syndrome network, national rotavirus surveillance network etc.
• Publication of National Guidelines on recommended dietary allowances for indians and dietary
value of indian foods.
• Introduction of successfully fortified food supplements like DEC fortified salt - a potential
supplementary strategy for Mass Drug Administration (MDA) to eliminate Lymphatic filariasis (LF).
• Large scale epidemiological and clinical research on nutritional deficiency disorders.
• Operationalization of National Cancer Registry Program since 1982 in providing strategic data for
prevention and control of cancer.
• National NCD risk factor surveys generating valuable risk factor data.

Objectives of Pillar 5: Strengthen Program Implementation through

Research
1. To identify gaps in health programmes, at both national and state levels, and undertake research
to address them to improve programme implementation in the country
2. Promote innovations in health system and health care delivery
3. Disseminate and advocate successful model/pilot interventions for introduction in health
programmes

Objective 1: To identify gaps in health programs, at both national and

state levels, and undertake research to address them to improve program
implementation in the country
Stakeholders
• Policy makers
• Programme managers
• Sponsors and funders
• Academic and research organization
• Regulatory bodies

Strategies
• Set up and strengthen existing monitoring, evaluation and surveillance systems to identify gaps
for equitable health care delivery through appropriate research
• Proactive participation in State and National level programme planning, monitoring and review
missions and meetings/HSRC Committees in drafting/ revising health polices/ programmes
• Engage with health and non-health sectors for addressing the research needs of the health
programmes
• Develop guidelines for management of diseases and improving quality of care

Transforming Health of Indian People

34 through Responsive Research
Deliverables
At end of 3 years At end of 5 years At end of 7 years
Mechanisms to engage
•  • 
Research studies on identified • 
Evaluation of the impact
with State and National priorities completed of recommendations from
programme managers the study on the national
• 
Chart out recommendations
formalized programme
for the programmes
• 
Gap analysis and research • 
Continue “I-SUPPORRT”
• 
Results and recommendable
priority setting for all existing actions of research studies •  evelop relevant policy
D
national health programs communicated to the recommendation for both
completed programme within 6 months regional and national partners
• 
Research studies initiated on of completion of the study
at least 3 identified priorities • 
Additional 3 multi-centric
• 
Initiate “I-SUPPORRT" research studies planned and
mechanism “I-SUPPORRT” initiated
= ICMR Support Programme
Relevant to Research &
Translation

Objective 2: Promote innovations in health system and health care delivery

Stakeholders
• Health professionals and health care workers
• Private sector
• Policy makers
• Programme managers
• Public – general community
• Industry (R & D)
• Research organizations
• Centre for Public Innovation System

Strategies
• Cataloguing innovations
• Creating network for development and evaluation of innovation for programme strengthening
• Conducting economic evaluation of existing programmes

Deliverables
At end of 3 years At end of 5 years At end of 7 years
Networks established
•  • 
At least 5 innovative research • 
Yearly at least 2 newer
leads for undertaking interventions suggested
• 
Mapping innovations through
implementation research made • 
stakeholder meetings and Innovations in at least 2
available
conferences to identify national and 5 State level
promising leads completed • 
At least 10 best practice programme implemented and
•  models for participation of evaluated
At least 10 protocols for
private sector in mainstream
implementation of identified
public health developed
innovations as collaborative
research developed
• 
Operating Procedures/
manuals developed for
implementing the innovations

ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-24 35

 Objective 3: Disseminate and advocate successful model/pilot interventions for
introduction in health programs
Stakeholders
• Policy makers
• Programme managers
• Community
• Private sector health care workers
• Peer reviewed journals
• Press and media

Strategies
• Organize regular interactive policy briefings between research teams and programme
implementers
• Organize platforms for stakeholder convergence
• Communicate information on research results through electronic, print technology, Information,
Education and Communication (IEC) to all stakeholders of research: more effective means of
dissemination of research results

Deliverables
At end of 3 years At end of 5 years At end of 7 years
Plan for dissemination and
•  • 
SOP for training and updating • 
Impact of research in
advocacy of at least 5 model the implementers of the newer strengthening national and
projects developed innovations and strategies State level programmes
developed demonstrated through well-
• 
Relevant research questions
defined objectives
to address barriers/ • 
Platforms for stakeholder
challenges in scaling up at engagement for at least 5 • 
At least five successful
least 5 successful models in programmes created intervention models
health programmes through disseminated to other parts of
analyses identified periodically the country
• 
IEC/advocacy material for use • 
3-5 model interventions in the
by the state/programme for country developed
at least 5 national and 5 state
level programmes developed

Expected Outcome
• Enhanced and timely uptake of research findings in programme planning, implementation,
monitoring and evaluation
• Allocation of adequate funds for research in every programme at national and state levels
• More reliable information obtained on health systems research and outcomes in terms of new
cases, morbidity patterns, mortality, complications, recurrences, disease endemicity, clinical
management and preventive measures

Transforming Health of Indian People

36 through Responsive Research
Monitoring and Evaluation

Relevant methods from those listed below will be selected to carry out monitoring and evaluation at
the end of 3, 5 and 7 years respectively:

• Ongoing monitoring for training programs

• Pre and post surveys
• External audit
• Process evaluation or impact evaluation at the end of 7 years
• Joint review mechanisms
• Evaluation by an external experts committee
• Joint review mechanisms

There will be ongoing internal evaluation and mid-term as well as end-line evaluation by an external
agency. For each of the 5 pillars, measurable indicators will be identified and used to evaluate the
output, outcome and impact.

ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-24 37

 Aligning ICMR’s Vision with National
Health Policy and India’s Commitment
to SDG 2030

India has witnessed tremendous improvements in various health indicators over the past few
decades, but there is a long way to go. Department of Health Research (DHR) and ICMR have
made substantial contributions in policy making and program implementation space in the health
sector. Several innovations of ICMR are at the door step of commercialization and emphasis will be
continued to be given in this area. There is a growing realization that national, regional and global
partnerships might expedite the whole process of finding comprehensive solutions for better health.
There are several examples of success following an approach based on partnerships, collaboration
and integration and ICMR would use those as cardinal principles. ICMR has identified the need to
establish mission-mode projects in key areas of communicable and non-communicable diseases,
maternal and child health and nutrition. ICMR’s research focus will be in the direction of attainment
of Sustainable Development Goals, pursuance of National Health Policy 2017 and alignment with
the national flagship programs like Swachch Bharat, Skill India, Digital India and Make in India with
an ultimate goal of making our citizens healthy and the Indian Society strong.

Since inception, ICMR’s goal has been to promote health research for betterment of health of
Indians. The approach has been to keep pace with emerging challenges, leverage on technological
advances and be responsive to changing health needs of the society. By initiating specific enquiries,
conducting surveys and surveillance platforms and setting up domain specific institutes; ICMR
has generated crucial evidence in biomedical and health areas and provided sustained support to
national health programs in the years that followed. The ICMR strategic plan (2017-24) is meant to
steer forward this mandate and fulfill the vision of ICMR which is aligned with the National Health
Policy-2017 that is committed to providing universal health coverage. The Sustainable Development
Goals (SDG) of UN for health are meant to ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for people at all
ages and also to end hunger and achieve food security. Emphasis will be given on providing improved
user-friendly platforms for mining, exploration, generating hypotheses and solutions as well. While
keeping a focus on these areas, ICMR also plans to leverage the unexplored dimensions of Indian
nutrition. Accordingly, the areas of emphasis described under the five pillars of the strategic plan
are clearly aligned with them. Understanding the critical importance of capacity building in health
research in the whole country; providing appropriate platforms for evidence to policy translation and
strengthening program implementation for overall improvement of health and prevention and control
of diseases; the strategic plan describes key objectives, strategies, deliverables and outcomes in
these areas in the next 5-7 years. Additionally, ICMR’s strategic plan also focuses on rationalizing
and creating ICMR repositories that will be linked to various national health related databases and
making them available traditional medicine. Although traditional medicine has very rich legacy and
experience in India, taking the leads from Indian traditional medicine to the global market would
require evaluation of the products using modern methods. ICMR will establish strategic partnerships
with traditional medicine research councils and researchers in the coming years.

Transforming Health of Indian People

38 through Responsive Research
ICMR Strategic Vision 2030:
Expected Outcomes and Impact

• ICMR Academy producing 100 Ph.Ds per year 30% Increase

•  ICMR Regional Hubs/Training Centres training 5000 in national health

P-1 health personnel per year research output in

•  ICMR is involved in at least 10 action oriented research terms of publications
compared to 2016
•  ICMR is guiding to produce at least 300-500 A star
baseline (Scopus
Scientists in the area of health research in the country
Index).

• ICMR Data Policy is being implemented effectively in

intramural and extramural research Health data

P-2 • ICMR carrying out 7-10 big data analytics

• ICMR Data Repositories/Data Warehouse helping to
analytics being
used to change
policies.
analyze the ICMR data and recommending policy
formulation for at least 4-5 diseases.

• 
At least one new drug lead from traditional medicine
successfully evaluated
Validation and

P-3
• 
Establishment of research collaboration with key AYUSH global acceptance
stakeholders of at least 10
• 
Development of policy, guidelines, compendium, AYUSH products
monographs, quality standards, partnerships in the area of
traditional medicine

• 
ICMR Evidence to Policy Unit submitting at least 5 policy
briefs per year for policy uptake Health programs

P-4
• All ICMR Institutes and approximately 500 professionals and policies in
trained in conducting of systematic reviews and economic India are based on
analyses. evidence/technology
• MTAB- Validating and recommending 10-20 new health assessment.
technologies per year

ICMR Policy with Public Private Partnership is in place

• 
• 
ICMR permanent centres are being established in 10
Achieve SDGs

P-5
medical colleges for collaborative research
by implementing
• 
At least five successful innovations/intervention models
evidenced based
disseminated to other parts of the country
policies.
• 
Five Mission Mode Mega Projects guiding national
program for diseases identified for elimination

ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-24 39

 Abbreviations

AMR Anti- Microbial Resistance

ART Assisted Reproductive Technology
AYUSH Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy
BCG Bacille Calmette-Guerin
BMHRC Bhopal Memorial Hospital & Research Centre
CAR Centres for Advanced Research
cGMP Current Good Manufacturing Practices
CRME Centre for Research in Medical Entomology
DEC Diethylcarbamazine
DHR Department of Health Research
DMRC Desert Medicine Research Centre
DOTS Directly Observed Treatment, Short Course
EBCH Evidenced based child health
EBM Evidence-Based Medicine
EIP Evidence-Informed Policy-making
HIV/AIDS Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome
HRD Human Resource Development
HSRC Health Systems Resource Centers
HTA Health Technology Assessment
ICMR Indian Council of Medical Research
IDSP Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme
IEC Information, Education and Communication
INDIA India Diabetes Study
INOSA INdian initiative on Obstructive Sleep Apnea
IPR Intellectual Property Rights
IRR Institute for Research in Reproduction (Now NIRRH)
IRFA Indian Research Fund Association
ISP ICMR Strategic Plan
ITR Innovation & Translational Research
JRF Junior Research Fellowship
KFD Kyasanur Forest disease

Transforming Health of Indian People

40 through Responsive Research
KT Knowledge Translation
LF Lymphatic Filariasis
MACE Management of Acute Coronary Events
MCI Medical Council of India
MDA Mass Drug Administration
MDR Multiple Drug Resistance
MDT Multi Drug Therapy
MDG Millennium Development Goals
MIP Mycobacterium Indicus Pranii
MoU Memorandum of Understanding
MTAB Medical Technology Assessment Board
NCD Non-communicable Diseases
NICED National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases
NICPR National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research
NIE National Institute of Epidemiology
NIMR National Institute of Malaria Research
NIMS National Institute of Medical Statistics
NIOH National Institute of Occupational Health
NIP National Institute of Pathology
NIRT National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis
NIRRH National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health
NITM National Institute of Traditional Medicine
NIV National Institute of Virology
NKN National Knowledge Network
NLEP National Leprosy Eradication Programme
OPV Oral Poliovirus Vaccine
ORS Oral Rehydration Solution
POC Point of Care
RA Research Associate
RMRC-PB Regional Medical Regional Centre, Port Blair
SACNC South Asian Cochrane Network & Centre
SDG Sustainable Development Goals
SHSRC State Health Systems Resource Centers
SOP Standard Operating Procedure
SRF Senior Research Fellowship
STS Short Term Studentship
VCRC Vector Control Research Center
WHO World Health Organization

ICMR STRATEGIC PLAN 2017-24 41