Panel Discussion: “Reducing the Burden of Non-communicable Disease” to mark the occasion of Announcement of the Bagchi School of Public Health

The Bagchi School of Public Health hosted and moderated a panel discussion focusing on the primary prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), the major causes of morbidity and mortality nationally and globally. The event featured four distinguished panellists, including Dr R. S. Dhaliwal, Head of the NCD Division at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR); Dr Vivekanand Jha, Executive Director of The George Institute for Global Health; Dr Vinod K. Paul, Member of NITI Aayog; and Dr Shweta Khandelwal, Senior Advisor at Jhpiego, India. The event was also graced by invited leaders from a range of institutions, including from the national government, UN agencies, and reputed academic and non-profit agencies.   

The esteemed panellists discussed the critical issues surrounding the rise in NCDs, attributing major factors to unhealthy lifestyles, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, sedentary behaviour, and unhealthy diets, as well as the increasing impact of climate change. They offered insights on gap areas and the efforts and challenges in NCD prevention. Their suggestions included the integration of medical education with all spheres of public health (highlighted by Dr Jha), the critical need for more research in ways to prevent NCDs (emphasised by Dr Dhaliwal), the importance of integrating nutrition into the curriculum (pointed out by Dr Khandelwal), and the focus on achieving real change and impact at the population level (underscored by Dr Paul). Mr Subroto Bagchi, provided concluding remarks mentioning that Ahmedabad University through the Bagchi School of Public Health is positioning itself as a benchmark institution in the country. He said the Bagchi School could synthesise diverse views on public health and create a sandbox of innovation. The panel discussion not only shed light on the growing concerns related to NCDs, but also provided a framework for future actions and interventions to reduce the NCD burden.