by iphindia | Apr 24, 2012 | Latest Updates
Second National Conference on bringing Evidence into Public Health Policy (EPHP 2012)
Location: Bangalore, India.
Conference dates: 5th and 6th of October 2012.
Abstract submission dates: Abstract submission opens on April 21, 2012 and closes on June 15, 2012.
Organisers: Institute of Public Health, Bangalore, India; Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
The main objectives of the conference are
- Disseminate the concepts of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and Health Systems (HS) in the Indian context.
- Disseminate and review the evidence of research and implementation experiences of health systems strengthening at the National and State Level.
Provide a platform to bring together policy makers, practitioners and researchers to reflect on issues related to Health Systems and Universal Health Coverage
For any queries, contact ephp@iphindia.org
To submit your abstract – click here
![KG Halli Center throbs with life]()
by iphindia | Apr 10, 2012 | Latest Updates, Research
On 20th march 2012, the youth center in KG halli, Bangalore which IPH has been instrumental in starting began on a happy note. The program was inaugurated by councillor Ms.Shaina Taj (ward No.30), special invitees – Dr. Aftab Ahmed, Dr Trupti Kulkarni, Mr.Rayappa, Health Inspector, BBMP.
The participants were Sangha members, School teachers, BBMP officials, Link workers from the Urban health centre and some local youth.
This youth centre was started as part of the urban health project initiative where we would like to provide basic computer training for free of charge, for the school dropout youths in the area with aim to empower them to seek jobs.
Another activity which we plan to do in the youth centre is Library, which is open for public use. In the long run we hope to empower some of the young people in the area and encourage them to widen their horizons.
Within a few days we find that the place is bustling with the sounds of shy young people who wish to read, and for the first time in their lives have a place down the road they can go to in order to enjoy a book.
![KG Halli Center throbs with life]()
by iphindia | Mar 28, 2012 | Latest Updates, Research
Team members from IPH, TISS, LSE and ITM at the regional meeting at Bangalore
The regional team meeting and workshop for the Health Inc Indian partners was held at Bangalore between 17th and 19th April 2012. It was attended by members of Institute of Public Health Bangalore (IPH) and Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) teams, along with representatives from the Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp (ITM) and London School of Economics – Health (LSE). The main agenda of the meeting was to determine the scope, area and extent of collaboration to be undertaken by the two regional partners, TISS and IPH. The meeting was conducted along with a two-day workshop on methods of data collection esp. orienting the role and use of qualitative methods in mixed methods research. The workshop was conducted by a mix of speakers from IPH and ITM, and covered various topics including conceptual frameworks for research, introduction into focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, transcription, coding and analysis. An interesting session on the role of theory in evaluation of complex interventions was conducted via teleconference by Bruno Marchal, from the Department of Public Health, ITM providing a realist evaluation perspective.
![KG Halli Center throbs with life]()
by iphindia | Mar 14, 2012 | Latest Updates
Mahesh Kadammanavar, faculty at IPH facilitated the session on ‘National Program on Control of Blindness’ (NPCB) on 12th of March 2012 for the Block Program Mangers
The first half of the session covered information about visual impairment, types, disease burden specific to India, major cause, of visual impairment in children and adults, and factors affecting the prevalence of visual impairment in India. The NPCB, its history, goals, objectives, strategies, activities under the program, calculation of prevalence rate were then discussed. The facilitator disseminated information on current activities happening under the program in Tumkur district, local NGOs involved and current statistics pertaining to blindness. This was followed by an activity in which the participants were given 2 case studies to work upon. The discussion that followed the activity brought our many practical suggestions on the role of BPM in checking blindness register during field visits, identifying under-reporting, guiding ANMs in this regard, role of immunization in preventing blindness in children and the importance of networking with local NGOs
![KG Halli Center throbs with life]()
by iphindia | Mar 6, 2012 | Latest Updates
Mamatha Patil, a research faculty at IPH facilitated a session on ‘National Leprosy Eradication Program’ on 1st of March 2012 for the Block Program Mangers
The facilitator gave an elaborate description of the clinical features, epidemiology, causes and treatment of Leprosy. Then the focus shifted to the objectives, strategies, activities, implementers and administrators under the program. Dr. Pallaya Mohiddim, District Leprosy Officer, Tumkur, joined the session along with the senior non-medical supervisor, Mr. Chikkaboriah and briefed the participants on the current status of the NLEP in Tumkur. The District Leprosy Officer elaborated on how BPM could actively participate and support the program. The senior non-medical supervisor gave a brief account on detecting leprosy cases, encouraging patients to seek treatment and ensuring medicine compliance. The presence of the District Leprosy Officer and the senior Non-medical Supervisor bough weightage to the program making it practical and allowing interaction with actual implementer of the program in Tumkur district.
by iphindia | Feb 24, 2012 | Latest Updates, Research
For those who read my blog two weeks ago ( CP or CP) this is the promised second part attempting to explain why theory does not translate into practice in public health. This blog is not the result of a field visit like the last one, rather, a different approach dictated by my confinement by a viral fever. So, friends, read on……..
” We are as lost as our fellow surgeons in hitting the right plane,
in public health….Or are we knife shy?”
The opportunity to investigate this question of the preventive/curative divide in the health services of our country has presented itself, and I thought why not use the technological tool of the moment and ‘google’ it? And this is what came up on typing ‘preventive/curative divide’
The Cambridge social history of Britain 1750-1950, Volume 3 (click here)
Amazing how the root of the issue came to light at the click of the button! For those who don’t want to go to the link, the fact that our public health services are conceptually distinct from our medical services go back to our colonial past when the industrial revolution, and subsequent urbanisation resulted in epidemics. A pragmatic approach to preventing disease by sanitary measures in populations (Remember John Snow?) evolved , as opposed to the treatment of the individual patient. Over time, the latter became the dominant power in the practice of medicine, and the split between the preventive and curative approaches widened steadily in the early part of the twentieth century. These approaches, along with much else were probably exported to our nation at the time of independence. They took root, despite opposition and reflection and even infiltrated medical education. And until today we are unravelling the skeins in the way our health services are planned, run and held accountable.
Strangely the next thing the google list threw up was an article from a colleague Beyond Tb- Public Health
And for those who prefer the shortcut, Dr. Devadasan talks about the artificial divide between prevention and cure, when he looked at a visit to a doctor from the point of view of the adivasi patient. Simply stated, there is no preventive or curative role, rather a simple desire to be healed.
So what does the adivasi patient see that the doctor does not? A mind uncluttered with ideas that divide will deal with treatment of the present illness as well as information on immunisation for the baby. Every interaction between the health service and community is optimised. But if the health service is fractured by its very structure, this is difficult, if not impossible.
So what have we on the ground ?
- A doctor who manages the RCH programme, but has neither the infrastructure nor support (including drugs and lab services) to handle an epilepsy or a juvenile diabetic.
- A busy hospital OPD for paediatrics, with personnel who have no time to ask the mother if she would like to delay the next pregnancy.
- A group of ANMs fumbling with denominators for immunisation data, because the HMIS is not streamlined.
- Overburdened tertiary services, because people just don’t know where to go?
I wonder when a concept can be recognised for what it is……. an idea that may be changed even after 60 years of doing things in a particular way. Or is it like the Emperor’s new clothes where we are too afraid to face the truth and all the work that might entail?
For those who are interested in how a concept can grow a life of its own,click here
-Prevention vs Cure- which takes precedence?
And finally, a ray of hope?
Consultation on History of Health Care in India: The Past in the Present Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, Dept of AYUSH in collaboration with WHO Country Office for India – click here
