Prof. (Dr) Atul Goel, Director-General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare chaired a meeting with major Health professional bodies of India. The meeting, conducted in hybrid mode, brought together representatives from more than 27 esteemed health professional bodies. The primary agenda of the meeting was to advance the Ministry's initiatives on health promotion i.e., promotion of healthy diet, physical activity and to address key risk factors of non-communicable diseases such as tobacco & alcohol. The concept of Healthy Medical/dental College Campus initiative was discussed with the participants wherein it was envisaged for propagating a culture of Health and Well-being in all medical and dental institutions across the country.

Dr. Atul Goel emphasized on investing healthcare resources more towards prevention of diseases rather than “only” focusing on diagnostic and therapeutic options. The participants also engaged in discussions on strategies to promote health and prevent diseases, on eliminating the use of tobacco/Alcohol and strengthening the implementation of Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act 2019. All professional bodies also agreed to adopt a Declaration of Health Promotion and take possible measures to espouse the concept of Health Promotion.

All members unanimously commended the efforts and recommendations of the MoHFW and acknowledged the critical importance of a collaborative approach to health promotion. The health bodies pledged to work in unison with the Union Health Ministry to further the objectives of health promotion, emphasizing 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 and senior officials of the Union Health Ministry attended the meeting. Health Professional Bodies that participated in the meeting 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), National Medicos Organization (NMO) among others.

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HFW/DGHS Health Promotion Meeting/30July2024/1