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Past Events

January 2024

Fireside Chat “From Illness to Wellness to Well-being: Views from the C-Suites”

Conducted on January 9 in New Delhi and January 12 in Mumbai: hosted by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health – India Research Center, HBS India Research Centre, Harvard Business School Club of India, The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute, Harvard University, the Delhi Management Association and the National HRD Network. In the events, Professor K Vish Viswanath, Lee Kum Kee Professor of Health Communication at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, shared findings from his study with C-Suite leaders. This was followed by a fireside chat with Dr. Geeta Kumar, well-being & sustainability advocate and DE&I & OD Consultant in New Delhi on January 09, and Preeti Gupta, Director, Aditya Birla Foundation for Enriching Lives, Aditya Birla Group in Mumbai on January 12. The conversations outlined how well-being is promoted in companies and the challenges and opportunities in taking an integrated approach to well-being.

October 2023

Webinar titled “Can We Eliminate Cervical Cancer in India?”

Conducted on October 31, 2023: A conversation that covered discussions on the developments and prevention techniques, socio-cultural issues in relation to the disease, interventions and innovations made to combat cervical cancer, HPV vaccination, and challenges and suggestions on how to improve the current situation in India. Panelists included Dr Gauravi Mishra, Head, Preventive Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital; Dr Paul Sebastian, Consultant in Cancer Control; Dr Shalini Rajaram, Professor & Program Lead MCh Gynecologic Oncology, AIIMS Rishikesh. The discussion was moderated by Dr K. Vish Viswanath, Lee Kum Kee Professor of Health Communications at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Faculty Director, Harvard Chan India Research Center.

September 2023

Webinar on “Adolescent Well-being & the Impact of Social Media in India”

Conducted on September 12, 2023: A panel discussion that provided an opportunity to explore the dynamic relationship between social media and adolescent mental health in the context of the pandemic and otherwise, and discussed evidence-based strategies to promote positive social media usage and protect the well-being of adolescents in India. Panelists included Dr Anjali Chhabria, Psychiatrist and Director, Mindtemple Psychiatrist and Director, Mindtemple Institute of Behavioral Sciences; Dr Kanika Malik, Associate Professor of Counselling & Psychology, OP Jindal University; Tshering D Bhutia, Vice President, Preventive Health & Nutrition, Salaam Bombay Foundation; Dr Zoya Ali Rizvi, Deputy Commissioner, Adolescent Health, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. The discussion was moderated by Dr K. Vish Viswanath, Lee Kum Kee Professor of Health Communications at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Faculty Director, Harvard Chan India Research Center.

July 2023

Seminar on ‘Accelerating Global Health Innovation through Transdisciplinary Frameworks and Design Thinking Methodology’

Conducted on July 20, 2023 in Mumbai with Dr Shriya Srinivasan, Assistant Professor of Bioengineering, Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Founder, Project Prana Foundation. During this interactive seminar, participants: Learnt how to use design thinking frameworks to accelerate the development of research from an academic lab into the clinic; Heard case studies that demonstrate the utility of transdisciplinary frameworks for advancing innovation in global health contexts; Engaged in discussions with other participants to identify critical gaps in infrastructure and ideate frameworks to unite clinicians, engineers, entrepreneurs, and policy experts in a mission towards tackling the global health challenges of India today.

May 2023

Webinar on ‘Leveraging Technology to Improve RMNCH+A in India’

Conducted on May 12, 2023: A panel discussion on Leveraging Technology to Improve RMNCH+A in India, hosted by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health – India Research Center and Project SANCHAR. This discussion addressed how digital platforms can be leveraged for training community health workers, information dissemination for community, data collection and monitoring, and identifying geographical and health areas that need attention. Panelists included Ms Anaita Singh, Program Officer, Digital Health, India Country Office, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Mr HSD Srinivas, Director Health, Tata Trusts; Dr Praveen Gedam, IAS, Joint Secretary to Govt of India and Former Additional CEO, National Health Authority (NHA). The discussion was moderated by Dr K. Vish Viswanath, Lee Kum Kee Professor of Health Communications at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Faculty Director, Harvard Chan India Research Center.

March 2023

Talk on ‘Can Deaths from Cancer be Prevented?’

Conducted on March 2, 2023 in Mumbai by Dr David J. Hunter, MBBS, MPH, ScD, FAFPHM, Richard Doll Professor of Epidemiology and Medicine, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, and Vincent L. Gregory Professor of Cancer Prevention, Emeritus, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Cancer is sometimes thought of as an inevitable consequence of ageing. The large differences in cancer rates between countries and over time within countries suggest that it is not. In his talk, Dr Hunter reviews the evidence that 50% of cancer deaths globally could be prevented, and the extent to which better treatment of cancer could prevent death from cancers once they are diagnosed.

November 2022

Webinar on ‘Diabetes & Nutrition: Approaches & Lessons from India’

Conducted on November 28, 2022: A panel discussion on Diabetes and Nutrition: Approaches and Lessons from India, hosted by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health – India Research Center. The discussion covered nutritional concerns regarding diabetes and addressed the progress and strategies towards improving the status of diabetes in India. Panelists included Dr Frank Hu, Chair, Department of Nutrition and Fredrick J. Stare Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology; Dr Monika Arora, Vice President, Research and Health Promotion, Public Health Foundation of India; Ms Roli Singh, IAS, Additional Secretary and Mission Director, National Health Mission, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. The discussion was moderated by Dr K. Vish Viswanath, Lee Kum Kee Professor of Health Communications at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Faculty Director, Harvard Chan India Research Center.

October 2022

Hybrid Symposium on ‘The First 1000 Days of Life in India: Evidence & Recommendations’

Conducted on October 14, 2022: A panel discussion on The First 1000 Days of Life in India: Evidence and Recommendations, co-organized by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health – India Research Center, Project SANCHAR and The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute at Harvard University. The discussion addressed maternal and child nutrition and its progress in India, and brought together subject and policy experts to gain insight into the research and data around maternal and child nutrition, the trajectory of communication strategies, the lessons learnt during implementation, and recommendations going forward. Panelists included Dr Hemalatha R, Director, ICRM – National Institute of Nutrition; Ms Mini Varghese, Country Director, Nutrition International India; Dr Pooja Sehgal, Country Lead, Health and Nutrition Communications, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Dr SV Subramanian, Professor of Population Health and Geography, Harvard University. The discussion was moderated by Dr. K. Vish Viswanath, Lee Kum Kee Professor of Health Communications at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Faculty Director, Harvard Chan India Research Center.

August 2022

Webinar on ‘Childhood Vaccination in India: Successes and Lessons’

Conducted on August 29, 2022: A webinar on Childhood Vaccination in India: Successes and Lessons, organised by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health – India Research Center and Project SANCHAR. Panelists address the important components that led to the success of childhood vaccination in India over the years. The discussion covers the current situation of vaccination programs across India, the challenges that continue to persist, the trajectory of campaigns in the past, and best practices for the way forward. Panelists included Ms. Anuradha Gupta, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; Dr. P. Ashok Babu, IAS, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India; Ms. Rajeshwari Chandrasekar, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Maharashtra; Dr. Sanjay Kapur, Managing Director, John Snow India. The discussion was moderated by Dr. K. Vish Viswanath, Lee Kum Kee Professor of Health Communications at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Faculty Director, Harvard Chan India Research Center.

August 2022

Hybrid Event on ‘Tobacco and Alcohol Control’

Conducted on August 1, 2022, in Lower Parel, Mumbai and Online: A Symposium on Tobacco and Alcohol Control, with a panel addressing ‘Risky Behaviours and Health Promotion – State of Evidence and Preventive Action‘. Panelists approached a wide range of concerns related to alcohol consumption and tobacco usage in India. They draw on the expertise of people from public policy, medicine, public health, epidemiology, and communications to discuss these risky behaviors and how public agenda can be influenced. Panelists included: Mr. B. Kartikey Dhanji, IAS, Excise Commissioner & Inspector General, Registration, Officer on Special Duty, Bihar Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development, Government of Bihar; Dr. Pratima Murthy, Director and Senior Professor of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS); Dr. Rati Godrej, MD, Internal Medicine and Member, Advisory Council for Harvard Chan School of Public Health – India Research Center; Dr. Ziming Xuan, Associate Professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health. The discussion was moderated by Dr. K Vish Viswanath, Lee Kum Kee Professor of Health Communications at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

April 2022

Webinar on ‘Lessons from the Field: Dissemination of research findings from a Community-based Non-communicable Disease Prevention Intervention in Punjab’

A discussion with researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and practitioners from the Ambuja Cement Foundation, as they share their learnings from a baseline study on a community-based noncommunicable disease (NCD) prevention intervention, published in the Indian Journal of Community Medicine. Working closely with the Bathinda Health Department (Punjab Government), Ambuja Cement Foundation, with evaluation support from Harvard School of Public Health- India Research Center, completed a study of the current NCD scenario in the selected villages. The published article describes the results of a large-scale, community-based NCD screening conducted in Punjab, India, using the Government of India’s Community Based Assessment Checklist (CBAC) scoring system. The study is unique, given that it is one of the first attempts to estimate the prevalence of high-risk CBAC scores in a large population-based sample. Given that the Government of India aims to undertake population-based screening of all adults for NCDs, the results of this study are directly translatable for policy action. In this webinar, the panelists highlight the findings of the study, the intervention design, and future lessons for public and private stakeholders on NCD management. Read the article here.

October 2021

Webinar on ‘Business and Public Health in India: Lessons on Worker Well-being and Supply Chain Sustainability’

Harvard Chan School of Public Health – India Research Center and Harvard Business School – India Research Center co-hosted a webinar with the Confederation of Indian Industry during the Asia Health 2021 on “Business and Public Health in India: Lessons on Worker Well-being & Supply Chain Sustainability”.

The panelists shared their learnings about lessons from COVID-19 on social connection, gender inequity, financial insecurity, and worker wellbeing. Based on ongoing research on the well-being impacts and meaning of work prior to and throughout the COVID pandemic, they highlighted vulnerabilities going forward and ways to build healthier and more resilient organizations globally. Dr. Eileen McNeely, Executive Director of Sustainability and Health Initiative for Netpositive Enterprise (SHINE), and Ms. Heloisa Jardim, Research Manager at SHINE, were joined by Ms Sangeeta Chandran, Head of Safety and Wellbeing at Tata Consultancy Services, and Mr. Mahesh Chandak, Head of HSE – South Asia & HSE Business Partner for Crop Science Division – Asia Pacific at Bayer Group. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Shubnum Singh, Principal Advisor at Confederation of Indian Industry.

September 2021

Webinar on “Child Nutrition and Behavior Change Communication”

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health – India Research Center hosted a webinar on “Child Nutrition and Behavior Change Communication”. The discussion focused on addressing challenges in providing adequate child nutrition, the impact of COVID-19 on nutritional outcomes, and how social and behavior change communication interventions can mitigate these challenges. Dr. Harish Kumar Pemde, Joint Secretary at Indian Academy of Pediatrics, and Dr. K. “Vish” Viswanath, Lee Kum Kee Professor of Health Communication at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health shared global and local perspectives. The session was moderated by Dr. Ananya Awasthi, Assistant Director – Research & Government Partnerships IRC & Member Advisory Committee – NCPCR.

September 2021

Launch of the E-book, “The First 1000 Days of Life: Lessons from Social and Behavior Change Communication”

Developed and led by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India in technical partnership with the Harvard Chan – India Research Center and supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the e-book analyses literature, population-level data, and promising practices to improve nutrition-seeking behaviors within communities. These include strategies, messages, media channels, and cultural platforms. The e-book is a part of the Ministry’s larger initiative aimed to document, test & evaluate Social & Behavior Change Communication strategies to promote nutrition-seeking behaviors through Jan Andolan for POSHAN Abhiyaan, among pregnant women & Anganwadi Workers.

Dr. K. Viswanath, Lee Kum Kee Professor of Health Communication at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Faculty Director of Harvard Chan – India Research Center, is the Principal Investigator of the e-book; which is co-authored by:

Dr. Ananya Awasthi, Assistant Director of Research and Government Partnerships at Harvard Chan – India Research Center
Dr. Ramya Pinnamaneni, Research Fellow at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Dr. Dhriti Dhawan, Data Programmer Analyst at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Ananya Kumar, Research Assistant at Harvard Chan – India Research Center
Manvi Poddar, Research Assistant at Harvard Chan – India Research Center

August 2021

Roundtable Discussion on Health Systems Strengthening

The Harvard Chan India Research Center partnered with the National Health Authority (NHA) for a policy roundtable on universal health coverage (UHC). The roundtable focused on key learnings from health systems strengthening research conducted in Odisha by Dr. Winnie Yip, Professor of the Practice of Global Health Policy and Economics, Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and was spearheaded by Dr. Vipul Aggarwal, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, NHA.

May – July 2021

Communication Implementation Guide, “COVID-19 Resources for India: Be a Part of the Solution”

Harvard Chan India Research Center and Project SANCHAR developed a Communication Implementation Guide to contribute to the mitigation of the COVID-19 crisis in India during the second surge of active cases. The guide contained infographics, captions, video clips, FAQs, and myth-busters on various themes, including:

COVID-19 prevention and control
Home-based management of self, patients, family, and friends if diagnosed with COVID-19
Information on COVID-19 vaccines and vaccinations
Tips and resources for maintaining mental health and wellbeing during the pandemic
Application and importance of ventilation and healthy buildings
Guide for women and children on management and treatment of COVID-19 and vaccines

The guide was translated into Hindi and Urdu and will be updated frequently with the latest evidence based guidelines. Click here to download the guide.

May 2021

Webinar on “Evidence-based Management & Science Communication for COVID-19”

The webinar was co-hosted by the Harvard Club of India and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health- India Research Center, as a part of the series called “India Matters”. The aim of the webinar was to address the deluge of misinformation and disinformation on social media channels relating to the ongoing pandemic and to discuss strategies to translate the latest evidence-base on the clinical management of COVID-19. The webinar was moderated by Dr. Ananya Awasthi, Secretary of Harvard Club of India and Assistant Director-Research and Government Partnerships at IRC.

December 2020

Launch of Case Study on the “Total Health” Program

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health – India Research Center and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health announce the Launch of the Case Study on Apollo Hospital Group’s Total Health Program led by Prof. Richard Siegrist, Senior Lecturer on Health Care Management, and Faculty Director for the DrPH Program, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Total Health is a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative founded by Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, Chairman of Apollo Hospitals Group, in his native village of Aragonda, a small village in the Chittur district of Andhra Pradesh. Prof. Siegrist’s Harvard teaching case on Total Health describes the drivers of the success of Total Health in Aragonda and raises questions for the students about how to evaluate its community impact, make it sustainable, and replicate it in other rural areas of India.

The webinar hosted Dean Michelle Williams, Dean of Faculty, Angelopoulos Professor in Public Health and International Development, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Harvard Kennedy School; Dr. K. Viswanath, Lee Kum Kee Professor of Health Communication, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and leadership from Apollo Hospitals Group: Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, Chairman; Ms. Suneeta Reddy, Managing Director; and Dr. Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group.

October 2020

“Daastan è South Asia” at 24 Hours of Harvard

Worldwide Week at Harvard

The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health – India Research Center , was invited to participate in the 24hH (24 hours of Harvard) initiative of Harvard University, to be featured at the Harvard Worldwide Week. The Center, while highlighting the impact of key projects in India, captured stories from the frontlines – through interviews of Anganwadi Workers. Featuring in the segment are :

• Dr. Rati Godrej, MD, Internal Medicine, and Member, Advisory Council for Harvard Chan IRC, who focused on the impact of the Center’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and “COVID-19 outbreak: On The Frontlines” a webinar series by the Center
• Dr. Richard Siegrist, Senior Lecturer on Health Care Management at Harvard Chan, discussed the case study led by him on the Total Health Program by Apollo Hospitals Group in Aragonda and shared his experience of leading a Workshop at the Center
• Dr. Winnie Yip, Professor of the Practice of Global Health Policy and Economics at Harvard Chan, shared insights into how the world can respond better to the COVID-19 pandemic
• Dr. K. Viswanath, Lee Kum Kee Professor of Health Communication, Harvard Chan provided an overview of Project SANCHAR and the COVID-19 Dashboard
• An insightful and visionary quote from Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, Founder, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group, on the Total Health Program
• Overview of Center’s engagement with the Ministry of Women and Child Development was provided by Dr. Ananya Awasthi, Assistant Director, Harvard Chan IRC
• Stories from the Community Health Workers (Anganwadi Workers) on the response to COVID-19 pandemic in Uttar Pradesh
• Hon’ble Minister of Women and Child Development, Ms. Smriti Irani, on the Ministry’s strategy to provide supplementary nutrition during the COVID-19 pandemic and its partnership with the Centre

September 2020

Data Led Journalism in India

Dr. Aastha Kant, Project Manager, Project SANCHAR at Harvard Chan India Research Center was a panelist on a session on Data Led Journalism in India during the Open Data Conclave, organized by Bharti Institute of Public Policy, Indian School of Business on 25 September 2020. Details of the panelists are below.

Keynote Address: Mr. Govindraj Ethiraj, Founder of IndiaSpend
Panelists of the session:

Dr. Aastha Kant, Project Manager, Project SANCHAR, Harvard Chan India Research Center
Mr. Pankaj Mishra, Co-Founder, Factor Daily
Mr. Pramit Bhattacharya, Editor (Data), Live Mint
Mr. Rakesh Dubbudu, Founder, Factly

Moderator: Ms. Madhur Singh, IndiaSpend.

September 2020

Prevention of Acute Malnutrition amongst children during the COVID-19 pandemic

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) hosted a webinar on Prevention of Acute Malnutrition Amongst Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Dr. P Ashok Babu, Director, POSHAN Abhiyaan and Anganwadi Services, Ministry of Women and Child Development spoke about the Ministry’s strategy to address malnutrition amongst Severe Acute Malnutrition and Moderate Acute Malnutrition children and multi-sectoral response of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). Dr. Ananya Awasthi, Assistant Director, Harvard Chan India Research Center and Member, Advisory Committee, NCPCR, discussed the role of Community Health Workers in providing supplementary nutrition and healthcare services to underweight children during the COVID-19 lockdown. The webinar was moderated by Ms. Shaista Shah, Senior Technical Expert, NCPCR.

The Webinar can be viewed here.

March 2020

State Consultation on Jan Andolan

India Research Center, in partnership with the Department of Women and Child Development and Nutrition Mission Office, Government of Uttar Pradesh, led a state-level consultation on Jan Andolan in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. The aim of the consultation was to seek stakeholder inputs on identifying “promising practices” on Social and Behaviour Change Communication adopted at the district, village, and community levels.

The keynote addresses were given by director, ICDS, UP and director, state nutrition office. Participants in the consultation included District and Block Program Officers from all the aspirational districts and major development partners like BMGF TSU, Piramal Foundation, UNICEF, Tata Trusts, and World Bank. The attendees included

February 2020

National Consultation on Food Atlas

To launch the “Bhartiya Poshan Krishi Kosh”, Lindsay Jaacks and the India Research Center in partnership with the National Nutrition Mission, held a National Stakeholder Consultation with NITI Aayog, Ministries of of Women and Child, Agriculture, Food and Public Distribution., Indian Council of Agricultural Research, National Institute of Nutrition, and development partners including BMGF, IFPRI and PHFI, amongst oters.
The scope of Stakeholder Consultation was to discuss the proposed Poshan Atlas and its policy implications for agricultural production, crop diversification & climate resilience. Additionally, the consultation discussed the plans for crowd sourcing of India’s nutritional dietary diversity and mobilization of key stakeholders for uptake of the “Poshan Atlas”.

January 2020

National Consultations on Jan Andolan

India Research Center in partnership with the Ministry of Women and Child Development has organized three National Level Consultations for the project aimed at identifying “promising practices for Jan Andolan”. The key objective of the consultations was to seek stakeholder inputs on developing the framework for identification of promising practices as well as development of criteria to evaluate the said practices auxiliary to promoting and scaling Jan Andolan.
The national consultations were held with the following three groups:
- Development Partners: including BMGF, UNICEF, Tata Trusts, SBF, and Piramal Foundation.
- Representatives from Central Ministries including Ministry of Women and Child, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and NITI Aayog
- State Partners: Over 22 states and UTs participated with presentations from UP, Bihar, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Assam

October 2019 – March 2020

Training for Media Houses

As part of SANCHAR (Science And News: Communicating Health And Research) project, training workshops for health journalists on ‘How to avoid misinformation: A workshop on evidence-based health reporting’, or, ‘भ्रामक सूचना से कैसे बचें : साक्ष्य आधारित स्वास्थ्य पत्रकारिता’ were conducted.
The workshops were led by K. Viswanath and used interactive exercises and examples for teaching how to interpret evidence and translate them into stories. Trainings were conducted with Hindi media houses such as – Amar Ujala, Dainik Jagran, Hindustan, where journalists reporting on health across UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Chandigarh attended the training. A total of about 150 health journalists were trained through these workshops.

Workshop on Artificial Intelligence & Tuberculosis

IRC in collaboration with the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence organized a workshop on the role of Artificial Intelligence in preventing Tuberculosis.
This workshop was led by Milind Tambe, Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science, Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
Savita Shardul, State Surveillance and Monitoring Medical Officer, State TB Office – Pune, delivered the Keynote Address.
The aim of the workshop was to bring together Government of Maharashtra officials and non-profit research organizations to effective ways of partnering for addressing tuberculosis through the use of AI.

Community Mobilization for Nutrition Mission

Ananya Awasthi, Assistant Director, India Research Center, spoke about the importance of “Jan Andolan” or community mobilization for National Nutrition Mission at the Poshan (Nutrition) Innovation Awards-2019, which were hosted by Outlook Media in New Delhi.
Awasthi described the key inputs from the stakeholder consultation held with the Child Development Program Officers at IRC, applied learnings from the science of social and behavioural change communication for nutrition, and shared contextual examples of community led practices that can be used as platforms to sustain the demand for improved health and nutrition services.

October 2019

Workshop on Hospital and Healthcare Management

India Research Center hosted a workshop on Hospital and Healthcare Management led by Richard Siegrist, Lead for Health Care Management, Faculty Director for the DrPH Program, Department of Health Policy and Management at Harvard Chan in October, 2019. The focus of the workshop was to train health care executives in hospital management, cost accounting, strategy and operations.
Participants included representatives from Apollo Hospitals, Hinduja Hospital, Breach Candy Hospital; representatives from National Health Systems Resource Centre; faculty from IIM Lucknow and Indian School of Business.

May 6, 2019

Academic Lecture on “Mental Health and Eating Disorders amongst Adolescents”

In collaboration with the US Consulate, Mumbai, India Research Center organized a lecture with an aim to educate the audience on the growing burden of eating disorders amongst adolescents, various mental health issues related to it and methods to cope with these challenges.

The lectures were delivered by Dr. Bryn Austin, Professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences; and Dr. Suzanne Dooley-Hash, Clinical Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan.

Click here to view Dr. Austin’s presentation.

April 30, 2019

Symposium on Advances in Addressing Oral Cancer: Cells to Society

In collaboration with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard School of Dental Medicine and Global Center for Cancer Prevention, India Research Center is organized a symposium on Oral Cancer at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Thematic focus included surveillance of oral cancer, treatment advances, tobacco control and health promotion. The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Sultan Pradhan, Surgical Oncologist at Prince Aly Khan Hospital.

25-26 February, 2019

Global Digital Health Partnership Summit

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the World Health Organization co-hosted the 4th summit of the Global Digital Health Partnership in New Delhi. To lead the academic panels, the Ministry invited key faculty speakers from Harvard Chan:

Dr. John Quackenbush, Henry Pickering Walcott Professor of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Chair, Department of Biostatistics provided insights on “Personalized Precision Medicine: Genomics and Beyond”
Dr. Tianxi Cai, John Rock Professor of Population and Translational Data Sciences, spoke about “Health Data for Decisions: Research Priorities”.

Dr. Jukka-Pekka Onnela, Associate Professor of Biostatistics, Department of Biostatistics, introduced the audience to the concept of digital phenotyping

February 14, 2019

Training Workshop on Scientific Writing and Visit of the Vice Provost to the Center

Harvard Chan India Research Center conducted an all-day teaching workshop on ‘Basics of Scientific Writing’ that focused on improving writing skills of PhD candidates, research scholars, post doctoral fellows, and students from academic and research institutes.

Dr. Mark C. Elliott, Vice Provost for International Affairs and Mark Schwartz Professor of Chinese and Inner Asian History at Harvard University opened the teaching workshop with his ‘keynote address’ that aimed at sensitising the students to the importance of scientific writing. Dr. Elliott shared his own experiences of preparing research findings for publication and how such teaching modules can be used to learn methods for writing scientific literature. In conclusion, Dr. Elliott hoped that for all the students attending the workshop at Harvard Chan India Research Center, this interaction would be the first of the many with Harvard University.

Dr. Sonal Jhaveri delivered five teaching modules which included scientific methods for writing the: Introduction, Methods, Results and illustrations, Discussion, and Title and abstract. In addition to the lectures, Dr. Jhaveri also engaged the students in interactive discussions, applied exercises and provided feedback to researchers working on papers for publication.

February 7, 2019

Capacity Building Workshop for Non-governmental Organisations Working (NGOs) in Tobacco Control

Harvard Chan India Research Center in collaboration with Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation and Salaam Mumbai Foundation conducted a workshop that focused on building the capacity of NGOs working in the area of Tobacco Control. Dr. Govind Tripathi, Technical Advisor at The Union, presented the opening keynote, which described the role of NGOs in effective implementation of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act. The keynote lecture was delivered by Dr. K. Viswanath on the science of strategic public health communication and how it may be applied to promote change in tobacco-related behaviors, practices, and policies in a community. And the guest lecture was delivered by Mr. Siddharth Prakash, Senior Research Programme Manager at Microsoft, highlighted the use of artificial intelligence in data collection for NGOs.

January 19, 2019

Improving Health Outcomes Through Effective Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

In collaboration with Wockhardt Foundation and CSR Advisors, Harvard Chan India Research Center organized a round-table conference on CSR with an aim to form a learning network that would enable an exchange of ideas and experiences. Dr. R. Mashelkar, Former Director General, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), delivered the opening keynote on scalable and affordable solutions to healthcare in India and the role of technological solutions. Other speakers included Dr. A. Velumani, Founder of Thyrocare, spoke about combining healthcare business practices with social impact, and Dr. Kalpana Aapte, Secretary-General, Family Planning Association of India, provided the audience with lessons learnt and challenges faced by Non-governmental Organizations after the CSR Law.

January 17, 2019

Symposium on Models for Control of Non-Communicable Diseases in Global Health

The India Research Center held its inaugural symposium on NCDs, with the goal of discussing evidence-based best practices from around the globe and then considering emerging models and potential solutions for the Indian context. Dr. Lindsay Jaacks delivered the opening keynote on evidence-based models for NCD prevention with a focus on diet and nutrition-related interventions. Dr. K. Viswanath presented on behavior change campaigns, and Dr. Richard Cash lectured on research ethics and childhood obesity. A further three presentations focused on emerging NCD models in India, including those of Ambuja Cement Foundation (ACF), CEHAT, and the Foundation for Medical Research.

Watch Dr. Lindsay Jaacks’ opening keynote here.

Watch Dr. K. Viswanath’s keynote address here.

November 29 – 30, 2018

15th India Health Summit

India Research Center signed as the Knowledge Partner for the 15th India Health Summit, organized by Confederation of Indian Industry, themed on “Indian Healthcare – A Changing Paradigm”. The Summit covered Public Health topics like: Ayushmaan Bharat, Business of Health, Beyond the Absence of Disease, Role of Public Health in Promotion of Positive Health.

The opening key note was delivered by Dr. Michelle Williams, Dean of the Faculty and faculty panels were led by Dr. K. Viswanath, Dr. Howard Koh, Dr. Winnie Yip, Dr. Frank Hu and Dr. Lindsay Jaacks of Harvard Chan.

September 28, 2018

FICCI visit to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) led a delegation of 50 entrepreneurs to the Chan School. With an overarching theme of “Women and Health”, India Research Center will be designed interactive sessions with various faculty members for the visiting delegation.

September 18 – 19, 2018

Training Workshop on “Implementation Sciences”

Dr. Karen Emmons, Dr. K. Viswanath and Dr. Shoba Ramanadhan of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health conducted a training workshop on “Implementation Sciences in Public Health” at Harvard Chan India Research Center, Mumbai on September 18 & 19, 2018. The aim of the workshop was to use local case studies to teach the basics of evidence translation into policy and practice.

Target audiences included over 40 program officers from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, National Health System Resource Center and other government stakeholders involved in the implementation of Ayushamaan Bharat.

September 17, 2018

A talk on “Health Reporting in the Age of Fake News”

The talk by Dr. Vish “K” Viswanath on ‘Health Reporting in the Age of Fake News’ focused on how journalists can use of evidence based reporting to improve the coverage of health and combat misinformation.

Dr. Viswanath drew upon the importance of news media in influencing people’s opinions and forming attitudes towards health issues. He discussed the proliferation of platforms and that (mis)information, information does not equate to communication, and health and communication inequalities.

September 12, 2018

Panel Discussion on “Future of Wellbeing”

Dr. Deepak Chopra, a renowned author, visited the Chan School to present his latest publication, “The Healing Self” and other related public health topics. IRC in collaboration with The Leadership Forum simulcasted the talk at the center in Mumbai for its partners, supporters and alumni.

The webcast was preceded by an interactive panel discussion on the intersection of mental health and well-being. The panel included Dr. Rajani Konantambigi, Dr. Sujata Sriram and Dr. Pinky Daga, and was moderated by Ms. Ashika Mehta.

August 30, 2018

Dissemination of Research Paper by Takemi Fellow

The center hosted, Ms. Sujata Saunik, Takemi fellow at Harvard Chan, 2017 – 2018, who disseminated her research findings on “Analysis of Health Insurance Scheme of Maharashtra, India: Economic and Public Health Implications”. Ms Saunik is a senior officer at the Indian Administrative Services and has served as the Principal Secretary at the Finance and the Public Health Department, Government of Maharashtra, India.

August 29, 2018

Panel Discussion on “Tuberculosis and Patient Retention”

Dr. Sarthak Das, Research Scientist, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Senior Advisor, Harvard Global Health Institute (HGHI) led a Panel Discussion on “Patient Retention and Tuberculosis”. on August 29, 2018 at the Harvard Chan India Research Center (IRC), Mumbai.

HGHI in collaboration with IRC, Foundation for Medical Research (FMR) and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is planning a programmatic initiative on Tuberculosis and Patient Safety. The Intervention is focused on both training of local paramedical staff and to document impact through joint operational research. IRC will be playing a pivotal role in education & capacity building to support the research project.

August 28, 2018

Panel Discussion on “Your Mind Matters”

India Research Center in collaboration with the Asia Society hosted a panel discussion titled “Your Mind Matters” led by Dr. Vikram Patel of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Other members included Dr. Prabha Chandra, Dr. Samir Parikh, and Jerry Pinto as the panel discussed possible ways to effectively deal with India’s mental health crisis.

Dr. Patel spoke about the burden of mental disorders, their association with social disadvantage, and the use of community resources for their prevention and treatment.

June 19 – June 20, 2018

Training Workshop on “National Nutrition Mission: Communication for Jan Andolan”

Led by Dr. K. “Vish” Viswanath of Harvard Chan and in partnership with Department of Women and Child, Government of Maharashtra & UNICEF Maharashtra, IRC conducted a 2-day training workshop on how Health Communication can be used for mass mobilization and Jan Andolan to improve nutrition outcomes amongst children.

IRC is currently in the process of submitting a report for developing an Action Plan on community mobilization for improved nutrition seeking behaviours to Government of Maharashtra.

February 15, 2018

Academic Talk on Infectious Diseases

Professor Richard Cash, Senior Lecturer in Global Health in the department of global health and population at Harvard Chan held an academic talk on infectious diseases patterns on February 15, 2018 at the center, to draw on his work in infectious diseases in low and middle income countries. The talk elaborated on recent trends in communicable diseases patterns around Dengue, and Japanese Encephalitis, among others.

January, 2018

Winter Immersion Projects for MPH Students

The Center aims to play a critical role in developing and support learning opportunities in India for Harvard Chan School’s students through field visits and field placements. This January, IRC supported the winter immersion trip for MPH students to India, which was led by Lindsay Jaacks of Harvard Chan. IRC supported students’ local logistics and travel, coordination with local partner organizations and facilitating their work in the field.

November 26–December 1, 2017

Dean’s Visit

Michelle A. Williams, ScD, Dean of the Faculty of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, visited the Harvard Chan School India Research Center from November 26 to December 1, 2017. The Dean gave the opening remarks at the “Improving Health System Quality in India” symposium held at the Center. She spoke of her plans to create stronger relationships with local partners from the government, academia, corporate, and nonprofit sectors to support greater engagement by the School through the Center. While in Mumbai, the Dean also met with Harvard Chan School alumni and friends. In photo, from left, K. “Vish” Viswanath, Lee Kum Kee Professor of Health Communication and director of the Center; Ananya Awasthi, assistant director of the Center; Dean Williams; and Todd Curtis.

November 29–30, 2017

Symposium on Quality of Hospital Care

The Harvard Global Health Institute and the Harvard Chan India Research Center held a symposium on Quality of Hospital Care on November 29 and 30, 2017. The symposium was led by Professor Ashish Jha, senior associate dean for research translation and global strategy and K.T. Li Professor of Global Health at the Harvard Chan School, and director of the Harvard Global Health Institute; and Professor Winnie Yip, professor of the practice of international health policy and economics at the Harvard Chan School. The event brought together leading scholars and senior policymakers from Harvard and India to engage in defining a shared agenda for health care quality and exploring areas of learning and collaboration for leading-edge empirical work on the most important health system interventions. This exercise included identifying lessons from not just the U.S. and India but also from other high- and middle-income countries as well, and bringing that evidence to develop new approaches to improving care.

October 13, 2017

Panel Discussion on Corporate Social Responsibility and Philanthropy

On October 13, 2017, the Center held a symposium on promoting public health through corporate social responsibility. The event introduced professionals working in the CSR space in India to tenets of public health, potential project areas, and program design, monitoring, and evaluation. Local partners included Bridgespan (Bain and Company), CIPLA, Piramal Foundation, Samhita, and Narotham Sekharia Foundation.

March 2017

Academic Talk on Cancer Prevention

Professor David Hunter, renowned epidemiologist and former acting Dean of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health gave a talk on “cancer prevention” in March 2017. Dr. Hunter’s talk attended by policy makers and leading practitioners in India, focused on how prevention efforts can reduce both mortality and morbidity, and the financial burden on health systems from cancer.

February 2017

Launch of the Lancet Commission on Women and Health Report

In February 2017, at the Center, the commission released a pivotal strategic framework for the women and health agenda. A partnership between The Lancet, the Women and Health Initiative at the Harvard Chan School, and the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, the commission was tasked with generating evidence to help build a global agenda for women’s health. Following the launch of the report, Dr. Ana Langer, co-chair of the commission, professor of the practice of public health, and coordinator of the Dean’s Special Initiative on Women and Health at the Harvard Chan School, led a symposium on women’s health at the Center. Both events saw enthusiastic participation from several Harvard University faculty, students, and Indian partners.