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On 30th January 2023, IAPHP hosted a roundtable discussion centered on ‘How might we employ tools of Environmental Surveillance (ES) to address and amplify existing efforts to understand and mitigate AMR for public health in India?’. A significant theme that emerged in the discussion was data and evidence for AMR, including –

• The need for a regulated, central database for ES & AMR Data that practitioners can plug into and contribute to instead of building further siloed datasets. 
• Collecting AMR data alongside contextual data on environmental and socio-economic factors to support decision-makers to make equitable decisions in health care. 
• Analysing AMR data from the national to local level to inform policy and make it actionable at the local level as well.  
• Distinguishing sources of AMR between community effluents and pharma industries to address the sources of AMR at community levels.  

Watch the complete event.

In the context of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Dr. Maneesh Paul, founder of Microvioma, sheds light on the dynamic relationship between microbes, AMR, and the environment. With a keen understanding of the interplay between these elements, he advocates for a comprehensive approach using technology innovation to engage clinicians, pharmacists, and the key stakeholder — the patient in the fight against AMR. Read the full interview

On 25th August 2023, IAPHP hosted a talk on ‘Technology & Multi-Sectoral Approaches to Dengue Surveillance in Bengaluru’ by Dr Bhaskar Rajakumar, Director of Healthcare Initiatives, ARTPARK (AI & Robotics Technology Park). The talk shared ARTPARK’s plans on working with BBMP & GoK to build a robust platform, with a systems approach towards disease surveillance and management including dashboards for daily monitoring, resource mapping, and disease risk prediction models. In his talk, he highlighted the significance of a data-driven approach for disease surveillance, the value of integrating multi-source data sets from sectors like health, transport, and economy to uncover overlapping areas for effective strategies, and the need for data collection protocols to minimize the time required for data cleaning. Watch the complete event

IAPHP hosted a panel conversation titled ‘Environmental Surveillance: The Future of Health Equity in Asian Cities’ as a part of a global movement of practitioners committed to achieving the SDGs at CATALYST2030’s ‘Catalysing Change Week’. It brought together leading practitioners across South Asia to share the landscape of ES in the region and discuss potential pathways forward. The conversation highlighted the roles of intersectoral collaboration, government engagement, and the need for long-term commitment for impact. View the talk