A high-level Leadership Group (LG) with the Hon’ble Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare in Chair, would be constituted to provide the overall advice and direction to MERA India. The LG would lead sustained political commitment and garnering financial support.
The proposed composition of the LG is as under:
- Honorable Minister, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India - Chair
- Secretary, Health, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India - Member
- Secretary, Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India - Member
- Director General of Health Services, Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India - Member
- Joint Secretary, National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India - Member
- Joint Secretary, Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India - Member
- Senior DDG, ICMR, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India - Member
- Financial Advisor, ICMR, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India - Member
- Director, ICMR-NIMR, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India – Member Secretary
A Technical Advisory Group would be constituted to provide technical guidance and prioritize research topics. The TWG would also oversee the establishment of MERA India and periodically review its activities vis-à-vis action plans. The TWG would also inform the LG periodically about the progress, achievements and challenges, if any and assist the LG in decision-making. The TWG would facilitate the development and support of trans-institutional efforts under MERA India and ensure the research is tuned to address programme gaps & challenges.
The proposed composition of the TAG is as under:
- Director General, ICMR (Chair), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India
- Director, ICMR-NIMR (Member Secretary), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India
- Director, NVBDCP, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India
- Thematic experts (National and International): Epidemiology (including surveillance and biostatistics), Parasite Biology, Therapeutics & Diagnostics, Vector Biology, Social science, Health Economics
- National Organizations: Government and Non-Government (Department of Biotechnology, Department of Science and Technology, National Trusts, Foundations & NGOs)
- International partner agencies and platforms (World Health Organization, National Institutes of Health, Medicines for Malaria Venture, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, APLMA, APMEN, RBM Partnership, and INGOs)
A MERA India Secretariat is established to support the establishment of MERA India, and the constitution of the Leadership Group, Technical Advisory Group and Thematic Working Groups as well as to coordinate day-to-day activities at ICMR - National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi.