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| Blue Peter Research Centre (BPRC) |
Background |
Blue Peter Research Center is the research wing of LEPRA Society situated in the rural community of Cherlapally, Hyderabad. It is an offshoot of the charity British Empire Leprosy Relief Association established in 1924 to serve the needs of leprosy patients. In 1947, the parent body was renamed as the British Leprosy Relief association (LEPRA) whose patron is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. When the Government of India introduced multi drug therapy, LEPRA was one of the agencies that joined hands for this purpose and gave birth to the present Indian branch registered as LEPRA Society in 1989. Currently it is working in 4 states and 53 districts of India and has diversified its scope to tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, malaria, blindness in addition to providing assistance for rehabilitation of leprosy patients with disabilities. It covers a population of >12 million in Andhra, Orissa, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. In 1998 Blue Peter the Children’ programme of BBC UK collected 3 million pounds for LEPRA. In a conscious decision, LEPRA UK assisted by the Medical Advisory Board with MJ Colston as the Chairman decided to invest the money in a research center in India which would cater to infectious diseases. Thus the Blue Peter Research Center (BPRC) was opened on December 14 1999 in Cherlapally. |
Status |
BPRC has both an outpatient clinic and well equipped laboratories in 2 acres of land. In addition, BPRC is actively supported by the field units of LEPRA. The District Technical Support Units in AP, Bihar and MP are major resources for research in leprosy, TB and HIV/AIDS as well as public health issues and epidemiology. It is also linked to Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society (APSACS) through its field units to address and cooperate with the State health authorities. This interaction of clinicians, biomedical scientists, field workers and management experts gives BPRC a unique position to handle infectious diseases in a holistic manner. It is also fortunate that BPRC is advised by a wide variety of experts both from India and abroad. The Indian Experts have included eminent persons such as Lt. General VD Tiwari, Dean, Chattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (also the Chairperson for Research Advisory Committee), Dr J Gowrishankar of Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnsotics (CDFD) Hyderabad, Dr BC Harinath of the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical College (MGIMS), Wardha, Dr KJR Murthy of Mahavir Hospital and Research Centre, Hyderabad and Dr Indira Nath of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) (the latter is now heading BPRC). In addition, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine is represented by Dr Diana J Lockwood and Dr. John Porter, from the Department of Clinical Research ( latter is the present Chair for the Medical Advisory Board of LEPRA UK) and Dr. Anton Pozniak, Consultant Physician in HIV/AIDS & TB, Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, London. The Chairperson of LEPRA Society is Dr. S K Rao, Director General of the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), Hyderabad. |
BPRC’s core funds come from LEPRA UK through LEPRA Society. In addition it receives grants from the Science Agencies, Government of India as it is recognized by Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR). |
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