The State should have an active research wing in place to deal with new epidemics, said S. Elango, State president of Indian Public Health Association.
Speaking to The Hindu on the sidelines of a recent medical convention in the city, Dr. Elango said that Tamil Nadu is trailing behind in medical research due to various factors.
There is a dearth of active research and medical publications in the State, he said.
“The current century has seen the onset of viral communicable diseases, which are difficult to treat. The absence of sufficient research has led to a lack of vaccines and potent drugs,” said Dr. Elango.
Alleging that medical colleges have become result-oriented and stopped focusing on research, he said that the research carried on in medical colleges was limited. There is no research by teachers or postgraduate students, he said.
Requesting the State government to have a separate research wing in Tamil Nadu with the support of Dr M.G.R. Medical University in Chennai, he said that this would help scientists discover new vaccines and drugs.
“In the current scenario, the government needs to be prepared to face viral diseases and contain their spread. This can be possible only if there is adequate research beforehand,” he concluded.
