Manipal: In view of the rising global concern for possible bio-attacks, experts from human and animal health institutes met at Manipal Institute of Virology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, on June 28, to review the training materials on bio-threat mitigation in India.
Twelve Monographs on bio-threat agents were prepared as part of the project given to MAHE by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), which is a laboratory of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) supported project at MAHE.
Subject experts from National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) Pune, National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal, Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals (IAHVB), Bangalore, National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics (NIVEDI), Bangalore and MAHE Manipal participated along with experts from INMAS, DRDO in the review.
Appreciating the importance of this exercise, Dr. H Vinod Bhat, Vice Chancellor, MAHE said, “Knowledge is the best defence against bio-threat and I am sure these monographs are rich resources.”
Dr. G Arunkumar, Director, Manipal Institute of Virology (MIV) coordinated the meeting along with Dr. Shaikh Shah Hossain, public health expert from Prasanna School of Public Health. Dr. Aseem Bhatnagar, Scientist G, INMAS, DRDO and Dr. Reena Wilfred, Scientist E from INMAS, DRDO were present.
