Published on: September 20, 2022

On 30 August 2022, Healthy India Alliance organised a round table meeting on “Collective action towards integrated care – Cross learnings from NCD, TB and HIV programs” at India International Centre, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi. As part of Healthy India Alliance, Pallium India participated in the meeting and was represented by Ms Preeti Chauhan (Head – National Policy, Pallium India).

After the welcome note, the convener of the event Dr. Ratna Devi (CEO & Co-Founder, DakshamA Health), introduced the first speaker Dr. Monika Arora (Director and Professor, Health Promotion Division, Public Health Foundation of India, Executive Director, HRIDAY and President Elect, NCD Alliance). Dr. Monika presented the Areas of Integration involving multisectoral approach centred around society with preventive and control measures in place. She highlighted their program for community conversations (Person with lived experiences-89 people) which helped build champions for the cause across communities. She requested support for an open letter to The Global Fund to act on the integration of NCDs, HIV, TB and Malaria in 2023-28 policy/programs.

The follow-up panelists after her also emphasised on the same and reiterated the need for an integrated healthcare system and community based programs for better outcomes. They presented existing models from their own fields and experiences of how integration on patient level helped reach better outcomes. The panelists included Dr. Anand Krishnan (Professor, Centre for Community Medicine, AIIMS, New Delhi), Dr. Kuldeep Singh Sachdeva (Regional Director-The Union Southeast Asia, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease), Dr. Khistij Khaparde (Regional Team Lead West & Central-WHO India), Ms. Mona Balani (Program Director, National Coalition of People Living with HIV in India-NCPI+), Mr. Manoj Jhalani (Director, Health System Development Regional Office for South East Asia WHO-SEARO, New Delhi), Dr. Bitra George (Country Director, Family Health India 360), Dr. P K Sen (Principal Advisor to MoHFW, Ex-Addl. Director General MoHFW, GOI) and Daksham Staff Tammanna Sachdeva (Person with Lived Experiences focal).

This was first of its kind event for integrated healthcare and we had several key learning takeaways including:

  1. A bill is being drafted for HIV and impacted people called HIV-AIDS Control Act.
  2. The government screening programs can be used for several purposes including screening in PHC, CHC and Tertiary level.
  3. A new initiative will be launched called Akshay Mitra through NCPI+ for supporting TB patients in basic nutritional and subsistence through people adoption method.
  4. ABHA-Electronic Health Records would address interaction in a better way and even boost inter-ministerial engagement.
  5. Main focus on awareness generation for people and communities.

(Report prepared by Ms Preeti Chauhan, Department Head – National Policy, Pallium India.)

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