DHR's plan to attract NRI scientists fails, panel calls for review

The panel, which reviewed the apex medical research body's performance, also found it lacking on several aspects of clinical research

The Department of Health Research (DHR) plan to attract NRI scientists to spur medical research in India has fallen flat, with only 10 individuals returning in the last nine years, top officials of the body told a parliamentary panel.

The panel, which reviewed the apex medical research department's performance, also found it lacking on several aspects of clinical research, including fully operationalising a network of viral research laboratories that can pick up early signals of epidemics.

Out of 132 viral research and diagnostic laboratories, only 80 are functional.

“Over the past 9 years, the Department of Health Research's (the administrative department which for all practical purpose is same as ICMR) efforts to encourage Indian health research personnel serving abroad to come back to India has paid little dividend as in these 9 years only 10 persons have availed such an offer,” the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health said in its report tabled in the House last week.

The lawmakers asked DHR to find out the reasons as to why the scheme has so few takers and suggested that the council must develop a conducive environment and offer lucrative prospects to attract Indian researchers serving abroad.

Since 2013-14, there have been 621 beneficiaries of DHR fellowships, of which 10 were awarded to encourage Indian health research personnel serving abroad to come back to India.

Also in those nine years, only nine long-term fellowships were awarded for research in Indian institutes. Over the past three years, the number of proposals for fellowships and training has also dwindled.

"There is no dearth of talent in our country. The DHR should work on establishing institutional mechanisms to attract scientists for submitting more proposals for fellowships,” the panel headed by veteran Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav, wrote in the report.

The DHR's failure either to set up its planned research units or operationalising them in time is another shortcoming that the MPs flagged in their report.

The case of viral research and diagnostic laboratories is a prime example. Out of the 132 VRDLs established across 25 states and five Union Territories, only 80 units are working.

The MPs advised the department to arrange for trained manpower and work on other administrative procedures for swift commencement of operations in all such laboratories.

In the early phase of Covid-19 pandemic, the VRDLs played a crucial role regarding validation of diagnostic kits, inter-laboratory quality control and testing of samples.

Check out DH's latest videos: