Medical Biotechnology (MBT) Program of DGHS
Under the Health, Population and Nutrition Sector Program 2011-16, a new program called Medical Biotechnology (MBT) has been included in the Operational Plan of Health Information System (HIS) and e-Health. The importance of this program is revealed in the government's policy decision for rapid deployment of medical biotechnology, to confront country’s future health, nutrition and livelihood challenges. The government constituted a National Taskforce on Biotechnology with Honorable Prime Minister as chair and adopted National Biotechnology Policy and several sector-specific National Biotechnology Guidelines including National Guidelines on Medical Biotechnology. The later has been published as government gazette and spells out MOHFW’s deliverables in next 25 years. By this time, the MOHFW held a number of workshops for the medical doctors and teachers for orientation and sensitization about the subject. Considering that more thrust is required for timely implementation of the government’s policy decision in this regard, the Operational Plan of HIS & e-Health included two objectives under the MBT component which are as follows:
  1. Achievement of the short and medium term deliverables mentioned in the National Guidelines on Medical Biotechnology; and
  2. Creation of conditions for achieving the long term deliverables of the National Guidelines on Medical Biotechnology.
The activities will be carried out as per instructions provided in the National Guidelines on Medical Biotechnology. Following will be the deliverables in the short and medium term (1 to 10 years):
  1. Center for Medical Biotechnology will be established;
  2. Situation analysis of medical biotechnology will be carried out and medical biotechnology plan will be developed;
  3. Sensitization / orientation training / workshops, updating medical curriculum with focus on medical biotechnology will be held, medical biotechnology resources in medical libraries will be developed, postgraduate and technologist courses and career group for medical biotechnology will be identified gradually; orientation of the core group members and concerned officials on medical biotechnology will be given;
  4. Institutional capacity will be built through development of lab facilities, clinical services and epidemiological surveillance for medical biotechnology;
  5. R&D environment will be created through supporting related research projects;
  6. Steps will be taken to open Department of Medical Biotechnology in the National Institute of Biotechnology and establishing a Center of Excellence for medical biotechnology;
  7. Appropriate communication programs with potential entrepreneurs of medical biotechnology will be carried out;
  8. Appropriate public awareness programs will be conducted;
  9. Measures will be taken to develop and enforce standards, codes of practice and regulatory framework for medical biotechnology.
Conditions will be created for achieving the following long term vision (25 years or more) of National Guidelines on MBT:
  1. To attain medical biotechnology initiatives and infrastructures at globally competitive level;
  2. To make medical biotechnology industries, laboratories and services capable to compete globally and keep pace with global development trends;
  3. To produce high quality medical biotechnology products and services for local market as well as for export to the global market; and
  4. To make availability of a world-class higher education and research base to serve the rapidly growing medical biotechnology needs both in home and in abroad.
  5. Effective leadership, monitoring and supervision will be ensured.
Last Updated ( Friday, 17 February 2012 13:06 )