Bhubaneswar, Aug. 9: Research on a vaccine, which will fight the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is under progress at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) here.

While the vaccine is being tried on animals this year, it is expected to be carried out on human beings next year.

ICMR director general and Odisha health research secretary V.M. Katoch said: “Research on HIV vaccine was carried out twice in the past by other organisations, but they failed to make much progress. The ICMR has now taken up the challenge, the research being currently restricted to test on monkeys only. Once we get positive results from the tests, the vaccine will be tested on human beings.”

At a meeting of ICMR Tribal Health Research Forum here today on the eve of the International Day of World’s Indigenous People, director of Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar, S.K. Kar said the local wing of the ICMR had mainly been focussing on tribal-related health research for the last two decades, the major areas of research being malaria, diarrhoeal disorders, thalassemia, sickle cell anaemia, hepatitis and malnutrition.

Another RMRC scientist said: “Our studies on five primitive tribal groups have shown that hepatitis C is mainly found among people of Mankadia and Juang tribes. While Mankadias are found in Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Deogarh and Jajpur, the Juangs inhabit parts of Keonjhar and Dhenkanal. An RMRC report has suggested that use of body tattoos and multiple use of shaving blades could be reasons behind the spread of hepatitis C virus.