Introduction
The Institute of Public Health (IPH) is a national institute under the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. Its major role is to support preventive, promotive and curative health care activities through laboratories, production of biologicals, quality control, training, education, research and publications in the field of public health.
The Institute has started its functions as Combined Public Health Laboratories in 1952, comprised of Public Health and Water Laboratory, Microbiology Laboratory, Central Drug Laboratory, Nutrition Unit and Vaccine Production Unit. Later on, coping up with the national demand and considering the spectra of activities, it has been renamed as the Institute of Public Health in 1953.
The institute has a creditable history of producing small pox vaccine which helped eradication of the disease from the country. It also used to produce cholera, typhoid and anti rabies vaccines and tetanus toxoid. In 1961, the former Director of the Institute, Prof. K A Monsur invented the Taurocholatetellurite-gelatin agar TTGA (Monsur’s Medium) medium for isolation and presumptive identification of Vibrio spp. which was recommended by the World Health Organization.
The institute is one of the oldest and largest institutes in the country, situated in Mohakhali, Dhaka city with a land area of 47.80 acres. The broad spectra of activities of the Institute are rendered by a total manpower of 926 of strong multidisciplinary team having wide range of technical, academic and research expertise with postgraduations including PhD, MPhil, MPH, MD, MS, MSc and in other technical areas.
Vision
To establish the Institute as a regional and international reference centre to support public health activities through production of biologicals, laboratory services, teaching, training and research in the field of public health.
Mission
- To produce vaccines, sera and other biological products, parenteral fluids, diagnostic reagents etc. of international standard to support national health care services;
- To play an effective role in quality assurance of vaccines, raw materials, biological products, drugs and others.
- To support the Govt. in food safety and quality control activities including laboratory analysis food and water for assessment of contaminants and adulterants;
- To provide laboratory support for diagnosis of infectious diseases including polio, measles, rubella, Japanese encephalitis, diarrhoeal diseases, respiratory infections etc. as well as emerging and remerging ones;
- To develop human resources both in public and private sectors through training, education, continued professional development to promote public health;
- To conduct undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the field of public health and allied field including food safety and laboratory medicine;
- To conduct community, laboratory and hospital based research on public health including operational research;
- To provide technical and expert support to other agencies to promote and protect public health;
- To publish scientific journal, newsletters and other documents, aimed at sharing research findings, recent scientific and technological advances and development in the field of public health;
- To develop cooperation and collaboration with other national and international organizations including UN agencies to promote public health nationally, regionally and internationally; and
- To provide other complimentary and supplementary services to promote and protect public health.
National Focal Point
IPH is the National Focal Point or Focal Institute for the
- Production of biologicals including vaccines, intravenous fluid, ORS, diagnostic reagents and chemicals, blood bags etc.;
- Quality control of raw materials, biological products and others;
- Food safety and quality control
- Preparedness and Response to Public Health Emergencies including food safety emergencies;
- Support for prevention and control of communicable and non communicable diseases including emerging and re-emerging ones; and
- Laboratory support for detection and surveillance of polio and non polio, measles, rubella and Japanese Encephalitis.
