Cabinet approves MoU signed between ICMR, NIAID and NIHDHHS, USA

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved the MoU signed between the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institute of Health of Department of Health and Human Services, USA.

As per the MoU, the cooperation will be undertaken in Chennai at the National Institute for Research on Tuberculosis (NIRT) of ICMR in the scientific area.

Focus on collaboration includes tuberculosis, parasitic infections, HIV/AIDS, Allergic diseases, immune system diseases, other emerging and re-emerging pathogens, and other diseases of shared scientific interest.

“The U.S. Government and the Indian Government will provide funding support for activities under this MoU depending on the availability of resources,” stated the press note issued by the cabinet.

The parties may seek additional funding and active participation from governmental, non-governmental, private sector, foundation, and other sources, as necessary and consistent with usual and customary practice, to support individual projects.

In this MoU, the scope of employing Indian scientists/researchers/students on contractual/project mode, as per applicable rules, under collaborative research projects emanating from the ICER program would help them in learning various techniques/skill development and capacity building in the area of TB and other diseases.

The Indo-US joint statement was originally signed in 2003 for the establishment of an International Center for Excellence in Research (ICER) in Chennai. The same has been extended in 2008 and again renewed in 2017 and now renewed as MOU.