The Opening of the Infectious Disease Training and Research Center

July 26, 2005

Dear Friends,

 On July 19, 2005, IDTRC (Infectious Disease Training and Research Center) was declared open by the Ambassador of Norway to India, Mr. Jon Westborg.  Dr. Benjamin M. Pulimood dedicated the BMPIIL (Professor Benjamin M. Pulimood Infection and Immunity Laboratory) for patient care.

Speaking at the inaugural, Mr. Westborg (pictured right) said, "This collaboration is part of the efforts at strengthening the political, economic and cultural ties between Norway and India, especially in the area of transfer of technology between the two countries."  The knowledge repository and dedicated service of CMC, Vellore, should be utilised by the world at large through this centre," added Mr. Westborg.

IDTRC and BMPIIL are the initiatives of the Department of General Medicine Unit-1 and Infectious Diseases (ID), interfacing with the Departments of Microbiology, Virology, Clinical Pharmacology, Pathology, Dermatology & Venerology, and Community Health.

IDTRC will be involved in the training of national and international physicians in ID, HIV Medicine, Tropical Diseases and Healthcare Epidemiology and quality improvement services. Other services will include: HIV counseling and voluntary testing over 1000 patients per month in Vellore district will receive anti-retroviral drugs as per the WHO 3/5 strategy; managing an out patient antibiotic administration centre to be started in the new OP; community outreach programmes-health camps, investigation of local epidemics, and organizing home based care, and support of socio economic needs for persons living with HIV/AIDS.  Development in the area of medical education and distance education will be another aspect of the work.

BMPIIL will have facilities to conduct anti-infective research, study antimicrobial pharmacokinetics, monitor patient immune status, establish rapid diagnosis of emerging infectious diseases, and track pathogens responsible for causing hospital infections.

 Division of Infection and Immunity, University of Birmingham, UK will be our collaborators.  Besides our faculty, International ID faculty (onsite) will include: Dr. Haragopal Thadepalli,  UCLA (USA), Dr. Peter Daley, McMaster University (Canada), Dr. Oystein Anders Strand and Dr. Nina Elizabeth Haukeland University  (Norway).

 Our supporters include: National AIDS Control Organization (NACO), WHO, Haukeland University, Norway, Sexual Health Resources Center; Friends of Vellore, USA and UK, CIPLA Ltd, Pfizer Ltd, and others.

 These physical facilities (first of its kind in India and South Asia) will expand our capacity in ID research, provide for improved training and enhanced patient care.  In less than a decade, we hope to develop the first and most comprehensive post doctoral training program for ID in this nation.

 We thank and praise God for His abundant blessings and guidance to all those involved in making these new facilities possible. 

With warm regards,