Puducherr

Vector Control Research Centre unveils road map

The ICMR-VCRC, headquartered in the city, recently released a road map envisioning a vector-borne disease free India through the development of newer tools, technologies and innovative vector control strategies for eliminating such diseases.

The vision document for 2020-2040 unveiled by Balram Bhargava, Director-General of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) as part of Vector Control Research Centre’s 45th anniversary celebrations, also seeks to study the epidemiology of vector-borne diseases (VBDs) in different ecological settings for optimising interventions.

The other aims are to build capacity and provide technical expertise for prevention and control of vectors and VBDs. The VCRC notes that the rapid growth of urbanisation, industrialisation and other developmental activities continued to severely impact the eco-environmental setting and the vector dynamics and disease patterns by increasing the transmission risks of VBDs.

Therefore, it is pertinent to take strategic steps to strengthen vector control across the country through increased surveillance, enhanced capacity, better coordination and integrated action involving all stakeholders. Some of the thrust areas identified by the VCRC are development of patents, vector bionomics studies, designing bio-markers for VBDs and turning into a centre of excellence for training in medical entomology, the vision document stated.

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