First National Public Health India Conference Inaugurated

The first National Public Health India Conference (NPHICON-2024) was inaugurated in the national capital by Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, SP Singh Baghel, on Friday.

The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) under the Directorate General of Health Services is hosting a three-day conference from February 23 to 25. Dr. VK Paul, a member of NITI Aayog, was also in attendance.

During the event, the Minister emphasized the importance of the conference in promoting public health discussions and creating policies that support the Prime Minister's vision for a developed India. The minister praised NCDC for their leadership and commitment to hosting this crucial event, which will help in shaping robust health policies and interventions.

He mentioned that numerous experts, physicians, and others are taking part in the three-day National Public Health India Conference organized by the NCDC. The experts will engage in discussions about ongoing research in the field of health.

The Minister emphasized that the primary initiative of the Indian Government is the Ayushman Bharat Scheme. Previously, prevalent diseases included Kala-azar, Japanese fever, and dengue. However, the Prime Minister's leadership and the construction of 4 crore toilets in rural areas have led to a decrease in the number of patients affected by diseases such as Kala-azar.

The delivery of water to people's homes is now facilitated through taps, and smokeless gas cylinders have been distributed to 120 million individuals. Additionally, four million solid brick houses have been constructed, eliminating the need for people to sleep outdoors. Furthermore, a continuous 24-hour electricity supply has been established, enabling even the less privileged to use fans to ward off mosquitoes and flies. These initiatives have led to a decrease in diseases, including Kala-azar, that were previously widespread in rural areas.

Dr. Atul Goel, Director General of Health Services at the National Center for Disease Control, mentioned that the conference will cover a wide range of infectious diseases. "There are many infectious diseases in the country on which we are focused. But there are some of these diseases on which our country is working very fast and we are moving forward to eliminate them. These include diseases like Kala-Azar, TB, rabies, and malaria."

He said that programs are also being run by the Health Ministry regarding the elimination of Kala-azar. Apart from this, the rural housing scheme also has an important contribution to this. Because sandflies were found mostly in 'kutcha' (mud) houses and were an important cause of this disease. But the construction of pucca houses has provided relief from this problem. But no disease is eliminated. Cases start decreasing, transmission stops, and the number of patients suffering from diseases like Kala-azar (black fever) has also reduced to a great extent; one patient in one lakh people is suffering from this disease.

Dr. Roderico H Ofrin, WHO's representative in India, was also present at the conference. He highlighted that the National Public Health India Conference, hosted by the NCDC, has assembled a diverse group of experts, researchers, students, and practitioners to exchange their best practices, papers, and research findings. Over three days, all participants will deliver presentations on various topics.

At the event, the NCDC unveiled an updated website, a new e-journal called Epi-Dis-Phere Public Health Resilience, and an e-techno-doc containing oral and poster abstracts of presentations scheduled for the NCDC.

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