Parliament Question: Establishment of a regional public health research institute in Konkan

GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH RESEARCH RAJYASABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 1241 TO BE ANSWERED ON10THFEBRUARY, 2026 ESTABLISHMENTOFAREGIONALPUBLICHEALTH RESEARCH INSTITUTE IN KONKAN 1241.#SHRIDHAIRYASHILMOHAN PATIL: Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate: (a) whether Government is considering to establish a Regional Public Health Research Institute (RPHRI) in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, given that this region is highly vulnerable to vector- borne diseases due toitscoastal ecology, highrainfall, humidityandclimatevariability: and (b) if so, the proposed timeline and the details of steps to be taken for establishing such an institute with the objective to strengthen locally relevant public healthresearch and policy support in the region? ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE (SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV) (a)and(b): Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has informed that its Vector Control Research Centre (ICMR-VCRC), Puducherry and National Institute of Malaria Research (ICMR- NIMR) undertake research related to vector-borne diseases in different parts of India including Maharashtra. ICMR further has multiple Institutes in Maharashtra catering to the health research needs of the state, namely, National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV Pune), National Institute of Translational Virology and AIDS Research (ICMR-NITVAR) Pune, National Institute of Immunohematology (ICMR-NIIH) Mumbai and National Institute for Research in Reproductive andChild Health(ICMR-NIRRCH) Mumbai. Further, Department of Health Research (DHR) hasestablished 4Multi-disciplinary Research Units (MRUs) and 2 Model Rural Health Research Unit (MRHRU) in Maharashtra. Research on regional healthissues isanimportantmandate of MRUs andMRHRUs.DHR also has11 Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs) in Maharashtra. The List is enclosed at Annexure-I. No separate proposal for establishing a Regional Public Health Research Institute (RPHRI) in the Konkan regionof Maharashtra isunderconsideration of DHR.ANNEXURE-I ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) and (b) OF THE RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1241 FOR 10.02.2026 REGARDING ESTABLISHMENT OF AREGIONALPUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH INSTITUTEIN KONKAN List of Multi-disciplinary Research Units (MRUs), Model Rural Health Research Unit (MRHRUs) andViral Researchand Diagnostic Laboratory(VRDLs) inMaharashtra. Multi-disciplinaryResearch Units(MRUs) (4) SethG.S Medical College & KEM Hospital Mumbai Dr.Vaishampayan Memorial Government Medical College,Solapur Armed ForcesMedical College,Pune B.J. Medical College, Pune ModelRuralHealthResearch Units(MRHRUs) (2) MRHRU Dahanu, Palghar Rural Hospital Vani TalukaDindori, Nasik Viral Research andDiagnostic Laboratories(VRDLs) (11) Armed ForcesMedical College (AFMC), Pune Dr VaishampayanMemorial (VM) Government Medical College,Solapur G.S.SethMedical College andKEM Hospital, Mumbai Government Medical College,ChhatrapatiSambhajinagar Government Medical College,Akola Government Medical College,Miraj, Sangli Indira Gandhi Medical College,Nagpur Kasturba Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Mumbai ShriBhausaheb Hire Government Medical College & Hospital, Dhule All India Institute of Medical Sciences,Nagpur Govt Medical College, Nagpur *****