Guwahati: “The Assam government will set up a National Centre for Disease Control unit at Rani in Kamrup Metropolitan district,” state Minister Keshab Mahanta has said.

Mahanta selected the land, adjoining the community health centre at Rani in West Guwahati, for the purpose on Friday.

During his visit to the site, he directed the officials to expedite the necessary formalities so that the process of setting up the centre can begin soon.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has selected Assam along with four other states for setting up NCDC centres under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.

Besides Guwahati, the other places are Dehradun, Bhopal, Ahmedabad and Bengaluru.

NCDC centres focus on the research, treatment, and control of infectious diseases, such as Japanese Encephalitis, Malaria and COVID.