Regional Centre for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases and Nutrition (RTTD)

The WHO Regional Centre for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases and Nutrition (RTTD) was established at IMR in 1978. The Centre is supported by the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO), the UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) and other donor agencies under bilateral agreement with WHO and has the following objectives :

The Long-Term objectives :

To develop improved methods for the control of major communicable and non-communicable diseases, especially parasitic and nutritional diseases , prevailing in Malaysia and the Western Pacific Region as a whole.

Medium-Term Objectives :

To expand and improve research and training of research personnel at Regional level, and

To constitute a focus for the coordination and continuity of research and training at Regional level

Near -Term Objectives :

To disseminate research and training capabilities of the Centre in Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Immunology, Entomology, Filariasis/Malaria and Nutrition to regional institutions;

To identify operational establishments in the regional institutions in support of the above and plan workshops in research methodologies in the Region;

To strengthen field research and training activities through promotion of multi-disciplinary , community-based studies on endemic infectious diseases and nutrition;

To expand the role of the IMR for providing reference support in scientific literature and publications in biomedical research ; and

To provide technical support within the framework of technology transfer for biotechnology activities in the IMR.