National media delegation visits NIV Pune, highlights virology advances
By Doruvu Paul Jagan Babu: Assistant Chief Editor
Maharashtra: A ten-member national media delegation led by Dr. Manisha Verma, Additional Director General (Media), Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, visited the Indian Council of Medical Research’s National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune on June 16, spotlighting the Institute’s role in tackling viral outbreaks and advancing indigenous vaccine research.
Media delegation’s visit to NIV Pune
The delegation, part of a three-day Maharashtra tour, was received by Dr. Naveen Kumar, Director of NIV, who briefed the team on the Institute’s research milestones, pandemic response, and innovations in virology.
No major threat from recent COVID-19 rise
Dr. Kumar clarified that the recent spike in COVID-19 cases does not pose a significant health threat. Most patients are experiencing mild symptoms with little to no need for hospitalization.
Indigenous vaccines in the pipeline
India is preparing to launch indigenous vaccines targeting several emerging viral threats including: Mpox, Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD). H5N1 and Japanese Encephalitis VLPs.
This underscores the country’s growing capability in pandemic preparedness.
NAKSHATRA: India’s first HPC for virology research
A major achievement shared during the visit was the commissioning of “NAKSHATRA,” India’s first High-Performance Computing (HPC) cluster dedicated to virology. Inaugurated by ICMR Director General Dr. Rajiv Bahl, it will bolster virus genomics and bioinformatics research.
Rapid response to Guillain-Barré Syndrome outbreak
Dr. Kumar highlighted NIV’s swift diagnostic and containment efforts during the Guillain-Barré Syndrome outbreak earlier this year, demonstrating the Institute’s critical public health role.
Legacy and role of NIV Pune
Founded in 1952 in collaboration with the Rockefeller Foundation and integrated into ICMR in 1978, NIV Pune continues to be a central pillar of India’s virus surveillance and diagnostics network.
Next stop: ICMR-CRMCH, Chandrapur
The media delegation will continue its visit to ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre for Communicable Diseases (ICMR-CRMCH) in Chandrapur later this week to gain further insights into public health research in Maharashtra.
