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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline JANUARY 13, 2023 | The Indian Eye 22

Dr. Soumya Swaminathan Presented with Prof P. Brahmayya

Sastry Oration & Dr. T. Ravi Raju Excellence Award

OUR BUREAU
Visakhapatnam
r. Soumya Swaminathan, for-
mer World Health Organiza-
Dtion (WHO) chief scientist
was conferred with the prestigious
Prof P. Brahmayya Sastry Oration &
Dr. T. Ravi Raju Excellence Award
during the 16th Annual Global
Healthcare Summit organized by the
American Association of Physicians of
Indian Origin (AAPI) in Visakhapa-
tnam on Friday, January 6, 2023.

The event jointly organized by
Prof P. Brahmayya Sastry Me-
morial Oration Committee and
Andhra Medical College, Vi-

sakhapatnam was chaired by
Dr. Abhijat Sheth and Dr. Sridhar
Chilimuri. While introducing the
awardee, Dr. T. Ravi Raju, Chair

of the Oration Committee said,
the vaccination initiatives across the encouraging.”
Dr. Soumya Swaminathan was world.” She asserted that death rates Emphasizing the need for part-
most recently WHO’s Deputy Di- are much higher in unvaccinated nership between the private and pub-
lic sectors, Dr. Swaminathan said,
compared to vaccinated and boosted
rector-General for Programs. individuals. “We also need to think about work-
Dr. Swaminathan, while describ- ing with the private sector, which
A pediatrician from India and a ing the main lesson from the pan- is already playing a very big role in
globally recognized researcher on tu- demic, stated that “climate change, technology. But we need to think
berculosis and HIV, she brings with and it all boils down to what humans about technologies that are consid-
her 30 years of experience in clinical have done to the environment. Our ered public health goods.”
care and research and has worked lives are intertwined with the health For the future, Dr. Swamina-
throughout her career to translate of the environment,” she added. than stressed, “We need to invest in
research into impactful programs. The vulnerable suffer a lot, and strong institutional mechanisms and
Dr. Swaminathan was Secretary it’s important to focus on equity and capacities in our regulatory bodies,
to the Government of India for Health help those who are left behind, she research centers and public health
Research and Director General of the said. She also stressed on the impor- institutions. We have seen so much
Indian Council of Medical Research tance of a public health approach, fear, stigma and discrimination circu-
from 2015 to 2017. In that position, having good data, and research. lated on social media. This must be
she focused on bringing science and We are recovering quickly be- Stating that the global pandemic countered by health literacy.”
evidence into health policy making, cause of vaccines, she said, pointing is marching on, the world-renowned Dr. Ravi Kolli, president of
building research capacity in Indian out that over 13 billion people world- scientist said, “Of the lessons I have AAPI praised the accomplishments
medical schools and forging south- wide have taken the vaccine and 20 learned since the pandemic began, and contributions of Dr. Swami-
south partnerships in health sciences. million lives have been saved due to it. the most important one is the signif- nathan and numerous healthcare
From 2009 to 2011, she also served as The majority of deaths in the US were icance of investing in public health leaders of Indian origin who have
Coordinator of the UNICEF/UNDP/ because of no vaccination, she added. and primary healthcare. Countries contributed immensely to the many
World Bank/WHO Special Program Dr Swaminathan further ex- that invested in primary healthcare ways, the world has been able to over-
for Research and Training in Tropical plained that vaccines are developed over the past decade or two are reap- come the once in a century, deadly
Diseases in Geneva. with high efficacy and safety. The vi- ing the benefits now. Another lesson pandemic that has devastated the
In her eloquent address, Dr. rus is trying to evolve, and each time is the positive role of science and entire humanity. Expressing hope for
Swaminathan said, “The coronavi- mutations have allowed the virus to scientists. The global collaboration the future, he said, “The world looks
rus has evolved significantly since it evade antibodies, she said, adding between scientists to take forward towards us with hope for leadership
was first traced in late 2019. From that, “there are people who have not advances in knowledge so that sci- and consolidated action to prevent
being a considerably deadly virus, it taken the vaccine and haven’t fallen ence is continuously informing our and secure health and well-being of
has now become less fatal - thanks to sick, but that’s a matter of chance. response to the pandemic has been everyone committed to our care.”

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