Myanmar's Medical Research Department and India's Medical Research Council have held talks to sign a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in research on infectious and non-infectious diseases. 

The matter was discussed during a meeting between the Union Minister for Health and Sports and a delegation led by the Indian Permanent Secretary on health research and Director General of Indian Medical Research Council. 

Both sides discussed the adoption of a plan on cooperation of researchers from the Indian Medical Research Council and Myanmar's effective cooperation in regional research platform for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases and future work. 

The Ministry of Health and Sports is trying to transform the Medical Research Department (PyinOoLwin) into Research Training Centre to conduct training courses on research ethics, research techniques and procedures and other related research work. 

For research work in various medical fields, a budget of K1.5 billion has been allotted for the current 2018-2019 fiscal year. K500 million was allotted for the previous mini budget period from April to September 2018. A budget of K1 billion was allotted for the 2017-2018 fiscal year. 

The ministry said in doing medical research work, focus would be on public health, treatment and service, traditional medicine and sports rather than basic research.