Jammu, Dec 26 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir will setup a National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to give impetus to laboratory diagnosis of emerging diseases of public health importance in the Union Territory, officials said on Thursday.
The centre will come up in Jammu region and the process in this regard has been started, Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education, Atal Dulloo said.
After taking into consideration the feasibility and advantageous aspects, the authorities have shortlisted two locations-- Vijaypur or Chowadi-- for the NCDC, he said.
Dulloo visited both the locations to personally assess the viability and practicability of the proposed sites for the Centre.
The NCDC will serve as a link between the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Centre along with the International health bodies for expediting measures for the prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, he said.
NCDC is the nodal agency in the country for disease surveillance facilitating prevention and control of communicable diseases.
In coordination with the state and Central government, NCDC has the capacity and capability for disease surveillance, outbreak investigations, and rapid response to contain and combat outbreaks.
The mandate of the Institute broadly covers three areas viz. services, trained health manpower development and research, official said.
Dulloo further said that establishment of NCDC branch in Jammu and Kashmir will provide support in strengthening integrated disease surveillance activities besides expanding referral diagnostic services for communicable diseases of public health importance.
He also said that the centre would support in preparedness and immediate response to disease outbreaks, besides providing logistic support including storage and distribution of diagnostic kits, drugs and vaccines.
