ACIES 2023 – Conclave on Public Health &

Hospital Administration
Inching Towards Health System Resilience

Plenary 1: Cardiovascular diseases:

A public health perspective

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 ACIES ORATION
Prof. Balram Bhargava
Secretary, Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health &
Family Welfare, Government of India and Chief, Cardiothoracic
Centre, AIIMS, Delhi

CHAIR:
• He is a cardiologist, medical educationist, and innovator known for his
expertise and social commitment.

• Currently serving as the Chief of the Cardiothoracic Centre, AIIMS. He

has served as Director General at the ICMR, New Delhi and Secretary of
the Department of Health Research, a division under the MoHFW,
Government of India.

• In 2014, Professor Bhargava was awarded the Padma Shri by the Indian
government for his contributions to medicine.

• He also received the SN Bose Centenary Award, the National Academy of

Sciences Platinum Jubilee Award, the Tata Innovation Fellowship and
Vasvik Award for Biomedical Technology Innovation, the Ranbaxy Award,
Plenary 1: Cardiovascular diseases: A public health perspective

Shri Sampath Kumar, IAS

Principal Secretary,
Dept. Health & Family Welfare, Government of Meghalaya

Keynote Address:
• A 1997 batch Indian Administrative Service officer, Shri Sampath Kumar is presently
the Principal Secretary to Health & Family Welfare Department at Government of
Meghalaya.
• Previously, he worked for the World Bank-assisted Andhra Pradesh Rural Poverty
Reduction Project and also as the CEO of RGMVP, a non-profit mission working for
women’s empowerment and poverty reduction in the State of Uttar Pradesh.

• In Meghalaya, Shri Sampath Kumar launched State Capability Enhancement Project

(SCEP) to strengthen state capacity while successfully tackling complex development
challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Shri Sampath Kumar has designed and implemented innovative and scalable policy
solutions for poverty reduction, women’s empowerment, rural development, public
health and participatory governance in the North East Indian state of Meghalaya
Plenary 1: Cardiovascular diseases: A public health perspective

Dr Lakshmi Priya, IAS,

MD NHM, Government of Assam

SPEAKER:
• A 2014 batch Indian Administrative Service officer, Dr. M.S. Laxmi
Priya is a doctor, an accomplished administrator, and a Carnatic
Concert vocalist, currently serving as Mission Director – National
Health Mission, Government of Assam.
• She was felicitated by the Prime Minister this year for Excellence in
Public Administration 2021, in recognition of her untiring work on
Project SAMPOORNA in Bongaigaon district, Assam
• She also took various initiatives for the betterment of people and
the environment – including programs for reusing plastic bottles
and setting up community toilets.
• Always considerate of all sections of society, Dr. Lakshmi worked
day and night fearlessly to control the virus’s spread during the
Covid pandemic. She started Project Milijuli, which provided
quarantine facilities to those returning from other states during the
covid crisis.
 Plenary 1: Cardiovascular diseases: A public health perspective

Smt. Remya Mohan, IAS

MD NHM, Government of Gujarat

SPEAKER:
• A 2007 batch Indian Administrative Service Officer, currently serving as
Mission Director (National Health Mission), Government of Gujarat.
• She has contributed significantly in strengthening the Gujarat health
care system.
• During her stint as a Rajkot collector, she was applauded by the state for
her relentless efforts and work during the unprecedented times of Covid
to curb the spread of the virus in the city.
Plenary 1: Cardiovascular diseases: A public health
perspective
Prof. Sanjay Kinra,
HoD – NCD Epidemiology, London School of
Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
SPEAKER:
• Dr. Sanjay Kinra is a Professor of Clinical Epidemiology and Head of
the Department of Non-Communicable Disease Epidemiology at the
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Study
director of APCAPS (Andhra Pradesh children and parents’ study).
• He has conducted (some ongoing) several studies/clinical trials of
technology-enabled affordable interventions for the management of
chronic conditions: yoga training for heart disease, diabetes, and heart
failure (India), CHWs supported by mobile technology for diabetes
(Thailand), video-technology for patients with pregnancy diabetes
(India, Uganda), mobile phone application for family carers of stroke
patients (Malaysia), low-cost diagnosis of diabetes and its
complications and aging-related health conditions in rural India and
Thailand using machine learning, and an electronic health record-
based trial of ayurvedic herb (ashwagandha) for treatment of long-
Covid in the UK.
 Plenary 1: Cardiovascular diseases: A public health perspective

Dr Biraj Karmacharya,
Director & Associate Prof. – Dept. of Public Health and Community Programs, School of Medical Sciences,
Kathmandu University, Nepal

SPEAKER:
• Regional Partnerships Director & Chief Department of Community
Programs, Dhulikhel Hospital-Kathmandu University Hospital.

• Preceptor of Lighting Up Native Aspirations (LUNA) Program.

• He is also co-PI on the Dhulikhel Heart Study, a large population-based

longitudinal study on CVD in Nepal, the first of its kind in a developing
country.

• He has strategic oversight and leadership of Nepali health curricula,

research, and research ethics across the faculty. He has been influential
in driving the recent review of IP health teaching and learning.
 Plenary 1: Cardiovascular diseases: A public health perspective

Brig. Shalendra Katariya, (Retd.)

Chief Operating Officer – North East, The Hans Foundation

SPEAKER:
• Brig Shalendra Katariya (Retd) is currently serving as the Chief Operating
Officer with The Hans Foundation. He is working with The Hans
Foundation since last 4 years, i.e., since his retirement from the Indian
Army.

• His area of responsibility are the 8 states in the North East India. The
Hans Foundation has several projects in the north east, out of which
many are with the state governments and other development partners.
While The Hans Foundation is working in multiple sectors like Health,
Education, Livelihood, and Disability; Brig Shalendra is now laying
greater emphasis on the health sector.