Ministry of Health and Sports will ask for a medical research budget of Ks3,000 million for 2019-2020 fiscal year, said Union Minister for Health and Sports Dr. Myint Htwe, at a ceremony to open the course No.9 for the basic training course (Special) for the staff officers.

“For research development and research culture development, the ministry asked for a budget of Ks1,000 million in 2017-2018 FY, Ks 500 million in the mini budget in 2018 and Ks1,500 million in 2018-2019 FY,” the minister added.

In 2018-2019 FY, the ministry has received a fund of Ks1500 million allotted for implementation research, clinical research and public health research. On December 14, 2018, the ministry formed the committee for scrutinizing research proposals in order to ensure the systematic use of allotted budgets and review research proposals.

The committee is tasked with scrutinizing whether or not the objective of research is useful for the ministry, the country and relevant department, the reason for the research is valid, research findings and results are applicable to practical fields, the research helps support the national health plan, health projects and medical treatments and the funds described in the proposals are suitable.

The short-listed research proposals are to be sent to the Research Ethnic Committee or Institutional Review Board at University of Public Health, Medical Research Department, University of Medicine-1 (Yangon), University of Medicine-2 (Yangon), University of Medicine (Mandalay). The Medical Research Department will allot the budget in accord with the procedures after these committee give the green-light.