Health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad urged the scientists here on Wednesday to translate technologies from various disciplines of biological sciences into forms of treatment which can benefit patients. He was speaking at the consultative committee of Parliament meeting on health research.

“There are a large number of active scientists working in different disciplines of biological sciences and producing good leads. Often we find that these are not translated into products or useable knowledge such as treatment methods," he said, “I will urge Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) scientists to put special efforts on translational programmes as the country needs these technologies now and cannot wait indefinitely.”

The secretary department of health research Dr V M Katoch said ICMR is concentrating on more than 50 leads for development of new tools for vector control, diagnostic methods for various infectious diseases including dengue and chikengunya, lung fluke and tuberculosis besides devising new treatment methods to improve the treatment of tuberculosis, leprosy, cancer and many other conditions. ICMR institutions are partnering with other for testing of anti-malarial drugs, vaccines for different infectious diseases.

The members of parliament, secretaries of all four departments of the ministry and other senior officers of the ministry attended the meeting.