Functions

TRAINED HEALTH MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT

Special emphasis is given to trained health manpower development that is essential for the successful implementation of different health programmes in the country. Besides the regular training programmes, numerous short-term training activities are conducted every year.  The course curricula of these training programmes are designed to develop the necessary need-based skills. The participants to these courses come from different States/Union Territories of India. In addition, trainees from some of the countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nepal, Maldives, Timor Leste and North Korea also participate in the training programmes. The NCDC also conducts customized training programmes for international participants. These courses are sponsored by international agencies like WHO, UNICEF, CDC and USAID.

Training programmes carried out by NCDC are:

1. India EIS Programme

NCDC conducts two year India Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Programme in collaboration with CDC, Atlanta. The programme focuses on hands-on training in epidemiologic service for public health professionals. Trainees engage in outbreak investigation, designing and analyzing epidemiological studies, analysis and evaluation of surveillance data, scientific communication, and other activities in preparation for careers as field epidemiologist. Every year nominations are invited by an advertisement.  Eligibility criteria and other details of the programme are also available on NCDC website. 

1. MPH (FE) Course

NCDC conducts two year Master in Public Health (Field Epidemiology) course affiliated to the Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi. Total numbers of seats are 20 out of which two seats are earmarked for WHO sponsored candidates.

1. Regional Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP)

A tailor made programme for the middle and senior level health personnel from countries of South East Asia Region to strengthen their epidemiological skill. This three month programme is conducted once a year.

1. Regional Training Programme on Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases

The four week programme is conducted once every year and is designed to augment the capacity to understand disease dynamics in community and intervention for its prevention and control.

1. Vector Borne Diseases

Training of four weeks in Vector Borne Diseases is carried out in partnership with NVBDCP, NIMR (ICMR) and NIHFW.

1. Sc., MPH and Ph.D. Programme

NCDC is recognized as the approved centre for guiding the students under Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi other Universities.

APPLIED RESEARCH

Applied research in various aspects of communicable as well as non-communicable diseases has been one of the prime functions of the NCDC. To achieve this, the NCDC is actively engaged in research in the following broad areas:

• Applied research in the field of bacteriology, virology, mycology, immunology, parasitology and quality control of diagnostic reagents with an aim of improving diagnostic capabilities of diseases of public health importance and giving laboratory support to the investigation and control of disease outbreaks. The important diseases include Cholera, Dengue, Diphtheria, Filaria, Fungal infections, Hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, Influenza, JE, Kala-azar, Leptospirosis, Malaria, Measles, Meningitis, Rabies, Rubella, Scrub Typhus, Soil Transmitted Helminthis, Tuberculosis, and Zika Virus Disease etc.
• Field based research through longitudinal studies of various epidemic prone diseases
• Laboratory and field oriented research in the transmission dynamics of arthropod borne diseases with the ultimate objective of vector control
• Evaluation of new formulations of insecticides and biocides and screening of indigenous herbs to evaluate their insecticidal properties
• Studies on biological hazards of pesticides
• In-vitro culture of pathogens, rapid diagnostic tests including molecular techniques

SPECIALISED SERVICES

The NCDC provides various referral services and technical support to individual patients, community, medical colleges, research institutions and State Health Directorates. These include diagnostic and clinical, teaching aids, storage and supply of vaccines and quality control of biological.  The different services available are given below:

Diagnostic: NCDC provides referral diagnostic services for various communicable diseases, some of which are ordinarily not available in hospitals and medical colleges.  These include diagnosis of Cholera, Dengue, Diphtheria, Filaria, Fungal infections, Hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, Influenza, JE, Kala-azar, Leptospirosis, Malaria, Measles, Meningitis, Rabies, Rubella, Scrub Typhus, Soil Transmitted Helminthes, Tuberculosis, and Zika Virus Disease.

Storage and supply of Diagnostic Reagents: The NCDC stores reagent and test kits on behalf of the Directorate General of Health Services and distributes to various State Health Directorates and medical colleges.

Entomological Services: Includes identification of arthropods of medical importance specially during disease outbreak situations, provides larvivorous fishes for the biological control of mosquitoes to various public health agencies.

Quality Control of Insecticides: The NCDC undertakes laboratory and field evaluation of insecticides/biocides to meet the requirements of the Registration Committee (RC) of Central Insecticide Board (CIB).

Supply of research materials: Various bacterial and fungal isolates, virus cell lines, Malaria, Filaria, Kala-Azar, Rabies, Diphtheria, Meningococcus slides, live cultures and preserved materials of arthropods are provided to medical colleges and research institutions.

Outbreak investigations: The NCDC investigates and recommends control measures for the outbreaks of various communicable diseases to the States/UTs all over the country as well as to some neighbouring countries.

Verification of rumours of eradicated diseases: Guineaworm, Yaws and Poliomyelitis.

Supply of teaching materials: The NCDC provides teaching materials on various communicable diseases in the form of slides, charts, maps, procedure manuals, pamphlets and books etc.

PUBLICATIONS

CD Alert is a technical bulletin of the NCDC, Directorate General of Health Services, to disseminate information on various aspects of communicable diseases to medical fraternity and health administrators. It is widely circulated to different parts of the country including Directorates of Health Services of different States, Districts, Primary Health Centres, Medical Colleges and individuals.

NCDC Newsletter is a quarterly publication with the purpose to provide a forum for sharing information on outbreaks, programme updates and information on any event of public health importance.