Union health minister Jagat Prakash Nadda on Monday laid the foundation stone for the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Centre for High Altitude Medicine and Public Health Research at Keylong in Himachal Pradesh.
Addressing a gathering, Nadda expressed confidence that the centre would lay a strong institutional foundation for high-altitude health research and advance scientific understanding of the unique health challenges faced by people living in the Himalayan region and personnel serving there. “The establishment of the centre reflects the importance accorded to addressing the distinct healthcare needs of people living in remote Himalayan and border regions. Leader of Opposition in the Himachal Pradesh assembly and former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut, Dr Rajiv Bahl, secretary, department of health research and director general, ICMR and Air Marshal Sandeep Thareja, DGFMS, were also present on the occasion. Centre to explore drone-enabled medicine delivery
Research-based interventions would help improve health outcomes and enhance the well-being of local communities and armed forces personnel serving in these challenging environments,” he said.
A key feature will be collaboration between ICMR, the Armed Forces Medical Services and other research institutions, bringing together expertise in biomedical research, public health and high-altitude physiology. The centre will undertake research relevant to both the armed forces and civilian populations, with a focus on altitude-related health risks, acclimatisation, maternal and newborn health, child growth and nutrition, and disease patterns in Himalayan communities. It will also examine how emerging technologies, including drone-enabled medicine delivery, digital health and artificial intelligence, can improve access to healthcare in remote and difficult-to-reach areas.
