Synopsis
Jindal Global University commemorated World Health Day 2025 with a diverse gathering of health experts and students under the theme 'Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures'. The event featured distinguished lectures, discussions, and the introduction of new academic programs in global health.Key Takeaways
- World Health Day 2025 focused on maternal and child health.
- Collaboration between universities and communities is vital.
- New academic programs introduced at JSPH.
- Challenges of sustainable energy and health discussed.
- Community-based mental healthcare approaches emphasized.
Sonipat, April 9 (NationPress) The Jindal School of Public Health and Human Development, in partnership with the Jindal School of Government and Public Policy, Jindal School of Psychology and Counselling, and the Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities, organized an extensive celebration for World Health Day 2025 at O. P. Jindal Global University.
The event, themed 'Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures', gathered a diverse array of scholars, health experts from around the world, policymakers, and students.
Notable attendees included specialists from Harvard University (US), University of Southampton (UK), BRAC University (Bangladesh), and UNSW Sydney, as well as representatives from the Haryana state government, UNICEF, PATH, PHFI, and faculty members from JGU.
Prof. Sabu Padmadas and Prof. Vikram Patel presented distinguished lectures, while other participants took part in panel discussions, poster exhibitions, and presentations.
The day began with a welcoming address from the Deans of the organizing schools.
Dean Stephen P Marks highlighted the main objectives of World Health Day, such as ensuring access to healthcare during pregnancy, addressing disparities in maternity and neonatal health, fostering education and training, engaging communities, and advocating for policy commitment.
Dean Kathleen Modrowski emphasized the importance of universities collaborating with the community in a respectful manner to enhance maternal and child health, referencing students' initiatives in the Kundli area of Sonipat, where they learn from the community while contributing to society.
Dean R. Sudarshan connected his experience in the United Nations to lessons in subsidiarity and the successful execution of policies when implementers are involved in the conceptualization phase.
Dean Derick Lindquist discussed the connection between physical and mental health, addressing the numerous mental health challenges faced by women throughout their lives, and the importance of life skills training.
JGU's Founding Vice Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar welcomed attendees on behalf of the university and outlined the evolution of degree programs offered by JSPH, including the introduction of a new online MSc in Global Health and Human Development and the transition of the two-year residential Master of Public Health (MPH) to a one-year residential MPH program, in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
He shared insights on public health policy-making through bridging the gap between theory and practice, making vigorous efforts to tackle societal issues, and overcoming challenges in engaging with state-level governments.
Prof. Sabu Padmadas, a Professor of Demography and Global Health from the University of Southampton, delivered a distinguished lecture on 'Sustainability at Risk: The Looming Energy Crisis and Global Health', addressing the challenges associated with Sustainable Development Goal 7 (ensuring access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy) and the implications of projected global population growth and inequitable energy access on maternal and child health.
He pointed out the specific challenges posed by AI and the high demand for electricity and water, along with other anthropogenic issues, including fatalities due to air pollution and rising sea levels.
The event concluded with another distinguished lecture by Prof. Vikram Patel, the Paul Farmer Professor and Chair of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School and a Professor in the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
He discussed the transformation of mental health systems in India, utilizing survey data on mental health conditions, barriers to care, and shifts in mental health approaches, transitioning from biomedical models to a broader range of interventions and highly trained professionals to community-level workforce, referencing the groundbreaking work of Sangath in India and the EMPOWER project. He concluded by advocating for community-based mental healthcare through psychosocial interventions, engaging frontline workers in global mental health efforts.
