Atul Goel Chairs Meeting with Major Health Professional Bodies to Advance Health Promotion Initiatives

New Delhi: Prof. (Dr) Atul Goel, Director-General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, chaired a significant meeting with representatives from over 27 esteemed health professional bodies of India. Conducted in hybrid mode, the meeting focused on advancing the Ministry’s initiatives on health promotion, including the promotion of healthy diets, physical activity, and addressing key risk factors of non-communicable diseases such as tobacco and alcohol.

The meeting’s agenda included discussions on the Healthy Medical/Dental College Campus initiative, aiming to propagate a culture of health and well-being in all medical and dental institutions across the country. Dr. Goel emphasized the importance of investing healthcare resources more towards disease prevention rather than solely focusing on diagnostic and therapeutic options.

Participants engaged in discussions on strategies to promote health, prevent diseases, eliminate the use of tobacco and alcohol, and strengthen the implementation of the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act 2019. All professional bodies agreed to adopt a Declaration of Health Promotion and committed to taking possible measures to espouse the concept of health promotion.

The efforts and recommendations of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare were unanimously commended by all members. They acknowledged the critical importance of a collaborative approach to health promotion and pledged to work in unison with the Union Health Ministry to further these objectives. The emphasis was placed on the need for public awareness campaigns, educational programs, and policy advocacy to reduce the prevalence of tobacco use, alcohol abuse, and other risk factors.

The meeting underscored a collective commitment to fostering a healthier nation through concerted efforts in health education and risk factor mitigation. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare remains steadfast in its mission to safeguard public health and enhance the well-being of all citizens through collaborative and proactive measures.

Dr. L. Swasticharan, Addl. DDG & Director EMR, along with senior officials of the Union Health Ministry, attended the meeting. The participating health professional bodies included the National Medical Commission (NMC), World Health Organization (WHO), Indian Medical Association (IMA), Association of Physicians of India (API), Cardiology Society of India (CSI), Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine (IAPSM), Indian Public Health Association (IPHA), MeDeVision, Trained Nursing Association of India (TNAI), Indian Orthopedic Association (IOA), Indian Society of Oncology (ISO), Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry (IAPHD), Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons of India (AOMSI), and National Medicos Organization (NMO), among others.