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Objectives and Functions
The objectives of the Institute
broadly cover three activities viz., training, service and operational
research in the field of communicable diseases and their prevention and
control in the country.
The broad Objectives and Functions of the Institute are:
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To advise
Government on issues related to prevention and control of
communicable diseases in the country.
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To initiate
enquiries and undertake investigations on communicable
diseases including such problems as may be referred to
the Institute by the Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare, Government of India and the State Governments
from time to time.
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To assist the
state health authorities in field investigations as
may be undertaken by them and providing them with
technical assistance wherever necessary.
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To undertake
operational research on prevalence and spread of
communicable diseases and their prevention.
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To carry-out
epidemiological investigations, mapping-out of areas
of endemicity, study of communicable disease statistics
on modern lines and generally to elucidate the
principles underlying the prevalence of communicable
diseases in India.
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To advise upon
and assist in carrying-out control measures of
communicable diseases and to study these
scientifically and to evaluate them.
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To undertake
clinical investigations on communicable diseases and
treatment. To study techniques of early diagnosis,
relapse problems and to update and institute modern
technologies and molecular methods for detection and
surveillance of epidemic prone diseases.
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To train research
workers in the concerned disciplines.
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To train
personnel in epidemiology and control of communicable
diseases.
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To publish
scientific results, technical guidelines, training
manuals and bulletins.
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Organise
workshops on topics of topical interest like Epidemiology
and Training, Rabies Epidemiology and Referral
Laboratory for Poliomyelitis.
Operational Research
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Undertake field studies on the taxonomy, biology, ecology, dynamics of
disease transmission and control measures of vector borne diseases.
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Develop newer tools, techniques, methodologies aimed at early detection/ improvement of
diagnosis and epidemiological assessment of infections in the community.
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Carry out in-depth operational research including development of modern molecular
biology and biotechnology tools to define the epidemiological concepts viz.,
prevalence, endemicity level, spread and prevention of communicable diseases
and to provide research support to the on going disease control programmes in
the country.
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Undertake laboratory and field evaluation of newer biocides/ insecticides/drugs and
equipments used or intended to be used in vector/disease control
practices. Specialised operational research is particularly undertaken in the field of bacteriology, virology, molecular biology, biotechnology, immunology, mycology, parasitology and
helminthology with an aim to improve diagnostic capabilities of disease of
public health importance and giving laboratory support to the investigation and
control of disease outbreaks.The important diseases include Cholera, Polio Myelitis, Measles, Diphtheria, Meningitis, Tetanus, Hepatitis, AIDS, Rubella, Rabies, Dengue, Japanese
Encephalitis, Kala-azar, Guinea Worm, Malaria, Filaria and some non-communicable diseases such as Iodine Deficiency
Disorders, environmental pollution, Apo-B gene polymorphism in primary hyperlipidemia, disaster management
and so on.
Other Supportive Services
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The Institute provides support to the various National Health Programmes and
Disease Surveillance activities through research expert advice and operational activities.
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Advise the Government on various issues related to the communicable diseases in
the country and their control.
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Supply scientific and biological material to medical organisations for promotion of
knowledge on communicable diseases and their control.
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Supply biological
control agents to State Governments, local bodies,
defence services and other organisations for
instituting biological control of mosquito vectors.
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Undertake bio-efficacy tests of newer insecticides and their formulations from different
industries/institutions to meet the requirement of Central Insecticide Board.
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Undertake quality
control of cold chain system by carrying out potency
testing of field samples of oral polio vaccine and
measles vaccine.
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Undertake National External Quality Assurance Programmes in HIV
& Rabies Testing and Others.
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Diagnostic Support Services. The institute provides referral diagnostic services for various communicable diseases.
Some of which are ordinarily not available in hospitals and medical colleges.
These include diagnosis of poliomyelitis, Measles, Coxsackie virus, other enteroviruses. TORCH group of organisms, Viral Hepatitis,
Meningitis, Diphtheria, Acute Respiratory infections. Cholera and newer enteropathogens, mycotic diseases, AIDS,
Rabies, Kala-azar, Brucellosis, Rickettsioses, Leptospirosis, Hydatidosis,
Arboviral infections, Plague, Anthrax etc.
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Update and institute modern technologies and molecular methods for detection and
surveillance of epidemic prone diseases.
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Maintain reference laboratories on major diseases viz., Polio, AIDS, Rabies, Filaria,
Guinea Worm, Yaws etc.
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Act as a nodal point for testing and devising control of strategy formulated on a
pilot scale before wider application.
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Planning, guiding and evaluation of National Disease Surveillance Programme,
Yaws Eradication Programme and support to Global Polio Eradication Programme.
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Provide library facilities by way of supplying scientific bibliographies, reprints of
research papers etc. to meet the needs of scientific workers to pursue research
on communicable diseases in the country.
Library
The NICD Library came into being in 1909 along with the establishment of the
Central Malaria Bureau at Kasauli (Himachal Pradesh) and since then
the library facilities continued to expand with the increased activities and
the renaming as Malaria Institute of India (MII). The expansion received a fillip in 1963, when the activities of Malaria
Institute of India were expanded and reorganised and it was renamed as NICD.
NICD is the only library in the country which has got enormous early literature in
the fields of malaria and other vector borne diseases prevalent in the
country. The Library is having up to
date literature on all the vector-borne diseases, communicable diseases and
related aspects viz. Bacteriology, Parasitology, Microbiology, Infectious
Diseases, Mycology, Biochemistry, Immunology etc. A total of 126 (Journal
85 foreign and 45 National) are subscribed. In addition about 100 journals are being received on exchange or on
complimentary basis.
The library has a total of 29825 books and bound journals, 251 maps, 89 photocopies
on various subjects and about 1276 annual reports from various organisations.
Some of the important indexing and abstracting journals available in the library are Tropical Diseases
Bulletin, Abstracts of Hygiene, Excerpta Medica (Immunology and Microbiology), Index Medicus (Monthly) and
Helminthology Abstracts.
The library maintains adequate stocks of reprints of a large number of papers and
articles published in Indian Journal of Malariology and Journal of Communicable Diseases for supply to research workers
in the country and abroad and participants to different courses at NICD. Similarly, the library also obtains reprints
on research papers for research workers of the Institute.
Animal Facility
The Central Animal
House provides laboratory to various divisions of NICD
and also to other Government, Semi Govt. and Private
Institutions. These animals are mainly used for
diagnostic purpose for identification of the actiology
of outbreks and for breeding colonies of various species
of mosquitoes.
Animal Species used at NICD
The following animals are supplied by the Central Animal House to various
Divisions of NICD for different experimental purposes:
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