Centre drafts National Health Research Policy to create self-reliant health technologies

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) has drafted a National Health Research Policy proposing to set up the National Health Research Agenda (NHRA), as the central framework for health research. The policy aims to shift India’s health research ecosystem from a fragmented model toward a coordinated, impact-oriented national problem-solving system.

In alignment with the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, the agenda will work on creating self-reliant health technologies, generating evidence specific to Indian conditions, and ensuring preparedness for emerging threats.​

The Department of Health Research shall serve as the nodal department for the preparation, coordination, publication, and periodic revision of the Agenda, under the strategic guidance of the National Health Research Stewardship Committee.

“This chapter sets out the principles, process, and organisation of the National Health Research Agenda. The Agenda shall serve as a shared reference for Government of India scientific departments, health research institutions, States, and Union Territories in formulating their own research priorities, taking into account local context, disease burden, health system realities, institutional capability, and India’s long-term vision under Viksit Bharat 2047,” the draft says.

The policy explicitly commits to reducing administrative, financial, and regulatory barriers that traditionally delay funded research. Moreover, publicly funded research infrastructure will be treated as a national asset, ensuring wider, shared access across institutions. The investment in health research is intended to rise, with the support of private and philanthropic funding.

The draft policy noted that states may adopt a phased approach to building health research coordination capacity, progressing through the following stages as institutional readiness permits. Where a state already has a health research council or an equivalent body in place, it may serve as the stewardship mechanism without creating a new structure. Deccan Herald