Agartala, 5th October 2026 : A four-day hands-on training workshop on entomological survey, mosquito collection and identification was inaugurated at Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) on Monday, with a focus on strengthening vector surveillance and research related to dengue and malaria.
Organised by the Multidisciplinary Research Unit (MRU) of AGMC, the workshop will continue until October 8 under a multi-centric research project on the vector bionomics and vectorial capacity of Aedes and Anopheles mosquitoes. The project is funded by the Department of Health Research (DHR), Government of India.
The workshop was inaugurated by Dr Tapan Majumder, Principal of AGMC, and Dr Bidhan Goswami, Medical Superintendent of AGMC and GBP Hospital. Scientists from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) also attended the inaugural programme.
The training is being conducted by experts including Dr Impita Pal Bhowmik, Scientist, ICMR Dibrugarh; Dr Dibya Ranjan Bhattacharyya, former Scientist, ICMR-NIHR, Dibrugarh; and Dr Natarajan Ramalingam, former Principal Technical Officer, ICMR-NIVCR, Puducherry.
Around 40 participants are taking part in the programme, which combines expert lectures with practical sessions. The training covers entomological surveys, mosquito and larval collection, morphological identification, mosquito dissection, field surveillance, insecticide susceptibility testing as per WHO protocols, data presentation and scientific report preparation.
As part of the practical component, participants will undertake a field visit to Dhalai district to gain first-hand experience in collecting mosquitoes and larvae and conducting field-level surveillance.
The workshop aims to enhance technical capacity in medical entomology and vector surveillance in Tripura. Organisers said the programme would contribute to strengthening scientific surveillance and supporting more effective prevention and control measures against mosquito-borne diseases, particularly malaria and dengue, in the state.
