ICMR’s strategic shift: repurposing institutes

At Mumbai, institute’s push beyond maternal care, focus on women’s health across life stages

4 min readPuneApr 8, 2026 12:07 AM IST

ICMR strategic shift, ICMR, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), National Institute for Research in Reproductive and Child Health, Mumbai news, Maharashtra news, Indian express, current affairs

“Our focus will be on research and innovation for women’s health as a continuum. These conditions will include health issues that are unique to women, as well as conditions that affect women differently or disproportionately,” Dr Sachdeva added.

A strategic review of institutes with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has led to expanding the mandate of some of them and repurposing them to better meet modern healthcare needs.

At Mumbai, going beyond the focus of reproductive health, ICMR’s National Institute for Research in Reproductive and Child Health will now include health issues that are unique to women.

Renamed as National Institute for Research on Women’s Health, “the overarching goal of NIRWoH is to create a better world for women,” Director Dr Geetanjali Sachdeva told The Indian Express.

Dr Sanghamitra Pati, Additional Director General of ICMR, when contacted, said that traditionally, research on women’s health has largely focused on the reproductive health needs. “However, the effort is now to ensure that healthcare must go beyond maternal needs and take a more comprehensive approach to women’s well-being,” Dr Pati told The Indian Express.

In recent years, the institute has invested significant efforts in understanding the biology of polycystic ovarian syndrome and endometriosis, two conditions that severely affect the quality of life of young girls and women. Now the focus will be to leverage this knowledge and identify the strategies for better management of these disorders.

According to Dr Sachdeva, solution-oriented research will be undertaken to address menstrual bleeding disorders, vaginal infections, uterine fibroids, osteoporosis, menopause, osteosarcopenia, and also the mental health of women. “Non-communicable diseases, such as obesity and cardiovascular diseases that affect women differently, will also be explored. Adolescent health will be another thrust areas in the coming years,” Dr Sachdeva added.

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Previously, Pune-based ICMR-National AIDS Research Institute was renamed as National Institute of Translational Virology and AIDS research to focus on viral disease research beyond HIV/AIDS. The National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED), which came into existence in 1979, is now the National Institute of Bacterial Infections to facilitate critical requirements to expand research in the area of AMR (Anti- Microbial Resistance).

Similarly , in a recent move, the National Institute of Pathology in New Delhi has expanded its scope and renamed it National Institute of Child Health and Development Research.

When contacted, Dr M Jeeva Sankar, Director NICHR, said that India has made substantial progress in child survival over the past three decades. “However, despite this progress, significant gaps remain in child survival and nutrition nationwide,” he pointed out.

The Sample Registration System 2023 reports India’s neonatal mortality rate at 19 per 1,000 live births and the infant mortality rate at 25 per 1,000 live births, with infant mortality notably higher in rural areas compared to urban areas. Over 35% of children under five are stunted, and 19.3% are wasted, indicating chronic undernutrition with long-term impacts on growth and development. Anaemia among children aged 6-59 months remains high at 67.1% (NFHS-5), despite improvements in several other indicators.

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According to Dr Sankar, new challenges are also emerging. “These include increasing rates of childhood and adolescent obesity, rising mental health issues among young people, the impact of air pollution and climate change on child health, and the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance,” he said.

“Our research programme is organised around six strategic areas: Perinatal and Neonatal Health, Child Growth and Development, Infectious Diseases, Non-Communicable Diseases and Early Life Risk Factors, Adolescent Health and Mental Health, and Environmental and Climatic Determinants,” he added.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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