logo
Chandigarh: ICMR chief lauds institute's innovation, 31 workers honoured

Chandigarh: ICMR chief lauds institute's innovation, 31 workers honoured

Hindustan Times5 days ago
With over 27 lakh patients treated last year, 74 research grants secured in two years, and innovations gaining global recognition, PGIMER Chandigarh celebrated 62 years of advancing healthcare and medical research on Monday. Recognised as one of India's premier medical institutions, the institute has played a pivotal role in transforming clinical care and translational research. Dr Rajiv Bahl, director general of ICMR. (Keshav Singh/HT)
Dr Rajiv Bahl, secretary to the government of India in the department of health research and the director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research, was the chief guest at the 62nd Foundation Day event. A total of 31 PGIMER employees were felicitated for their outstanding service to the institution.
Applauding PGIMER's achievements, Dr Bahl said, 'PGI's leadership in clinical trials and research is crucial for India's future in global healthcare innovation.'
Founded in 1962 and inaugurated on July 7, 1963, PGIMER was declared an Institute of National Importance in 1967. Spread across 277 acres, the institute today has over 11,800 staff, including 728 faculty members and 1,300 resident doctors. It has a capacity of 2,233 beds, with 207 ICU beds and 73 operation theatres, catering to nearly 10,000 outpatients daily.
'Devices like the infrared hematoma detector and Mobi-lab, developed with ICMR support, have attracted international attention—even from Bill Gates,' said Dr Bahl.
Dr D Behera, PGIMER's professor emeritus and president, National Academy of Medical Sciences, attended the event as guest of honour.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

ICMR says Indians taking too much salt, launches study to address issue
ICMR says Indians taking too much salt, launches study to address issue

The Hindu

time3 hours ago

  • The Hindu

ICMR says Indians taking too much salt, launches study to address issue

Excessive salt consumption is fuelling a silent epidemic in India with people at increased risk of hypertension, stroke, heart disease, and kidney disorders, according to scientists from ICMR's National Institute of Epidemiology. The scientists have initiated a community-led salt reduction study to address the issue and are focusing on low sodium salt substitutes. Higher levels of salt consumption than recommended While the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends less than 5 grams of salt per person per day, studies show that urban Indians consume around 9.2 grams/day, and even in rural areas it is around 5.6 grams/day - both higher than recommended. One promising tool in this effort is low-sodium salt substitutes -- blends where part of the sodium chloride is replaced with potassium or magnesium salts, Sharan Murali, a senior scientist at National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE) and principal investigator of the study, said. "Lesser sodium consumption helps reduce blood pressure and improves overall heart health, making low-sodium alternatives a meaningful switch, especially for those with hypertension," Dr Murali stated. "Just switching to low-sodium salt can lower blood pressure by 7/4 mmHg on average'a small change with a big impact," Dr Murali said. Salt consumption reduction projects To tackle the issue of high salt consumption, the NIE has launched a three-year intervention project in Punjab and Telangana, supported by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The goal is to evaluate the effectiveness of structured salt reduction counselling, delivered by health workers at Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs), in reducing blood pressure and sodium intake among individuals with hypertension, senior scientist at NIE, Dr Ganesh Kumar, who is also a part of the study, said.. "We are currently in the first year of the project, focused on baseline assessments and field preparations," Dr Kumar said. "Counselling materials are not yet finalised; rather, we aim to co-create the intervention package with the community health workers, drawing on their experiences and incorporating their suggestions. It's not just about delivering health education - it's about listening, understanding, and building together," Dr Murali said. To ensure interventions are grounded in reality, the NIE conducted a market survey across 300 retail outlets in Chennai to assess the availability and pricing of low-sodium salt (LSS). They found that LSS was available in only 28 per cent of retail outlets. It was seen in 52 per cent of supermarkets, but a dismal 4 per cent in small grocery shops. The price of LSS averaged Rs 5.6 per 100g, more than twice the price of normal iodised salt (Rs 2.7 per 100g). These findings highlight a critical supply-demand disconnect, Dr Murali said. "The lower demand for low sodium salt might be leading to its lower availability - it's a proxy indicator of awareness and access," noted Dr. Murali. To spark a public conversation around salt reduction, the NIE has also recently launched the #PinchForAChange campaign on Twitter and LinkedIn through ICMR-NIE. Using infographics, facts, and simple messages, the campaign aims to raise awareness about hidden salt sources, promote low-sodium alternatives, and empower individuals to make heart-healthy choices. "If successful, this project could lead to the integration of sustainable dietary counselling models into the existing public health system. It can bridge the gap between knowledge and action, improve health literacy, and ultimately reduce the burden of hypertension-related diseases. "This is not just about reducing salt. It's about restoring balance in our diets, our systems, and our hearts. Together, one pinch at a time, we can create lasting change," Dr Murali added.

ICMR says Indians taking too much salt, launches study to address issue
ICMR says Indians taking too much salt, launches study to address issue

Time of India

time5 hours ago

  • Time of India

ICMR says Indians taking too much salt, launches study to address issue

New Delhi: Excessive salt consumption is fuelling a silent epidemic in India with people at increased risk of hypertension , stroke, heart disease , and kidney disorders, according to scientists from ICMR 's National Institute of Epidemiology . The scientists have initiated a community-led salt reduction study to address the issue and are focusing on low sodium salt substitutes . While the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends less than 5 grams of salt per person per day, studies show that urban Indians consume around 9.2 grams/day, and even in rural areas it is around 5.6 grams/day - both higher than recommended. One promising tool in this effort is low-sodium salt substitutes -- blends where part of the sodium chloride is replaced with potassium or magnesium salts, Dr Sharan Murali, a senior scientist at National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE) and principal investigator of the study, said. "Lesser sodium consumption helps reduce blood pressure and improves overall heart health, making low-sodium alternatives a meaningful switch, especially for those with hypertension," Dr Murali stated. "Just switching to low-sodium salt can lower blood pressure by 7/4 mmHg on average' a small change with a big impact," Dr Murali said. To tackle the issue of high salt consumption, the NIE has launched a three-year intervention project in Punjab and Telangana, supported by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The goal is to evaluate the effectiveness of structured salt reduction counselling, delivered by health workers at Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs), in reducing blood pressure and sodium intake among individuals with hypertension, senior scientist at NIE, Dr Ganesh Kumar, who is also a part of the study, said.. "We are currently in the first year of the project, focused on baseline assessments and field preparations," Dr Kumar said. "Counselling materials are not yet finalised; rather, we aim to co-create the intervention package with the community health workers, drawing on their experiences and incorporating their suggestions. It's not just about delivering health education - it's about listening, understanding, and building together," Dr Murali said. To ensure interventions are grounded in reality, the NIE conducted a market survey across 300 retail outlets in Chennai to assess the availability and pricing of low-sodium salt (LSS). They found that LSS was available in only 28 per cent of retail outlets. It was seen in 52 per cent of supermarkets, but a dismal 4 per cent in small grocery shops. The price of LSS averaged Rs 5.6 per 100g, more than twice the price of normal iodised salt (Rs 2.7 per 100g). These findings highlight a critical supply-demand disconnect, Dr Murali said. "The lower demand for low sodium salt might be leading to its lower availability - it's a proxy indicator of awareness and access," noted Dr. Murali. To spark a public conversation around salt reduction, the NIE has also recently launched the #PinchForAChange campaign on Twitter and LinkedIn through ICMR-NIE. Using infographics, facts, and simple messages, the campaign aims to raise awareness about hidden salt sources, promote low-sodium alternatives, and empower individuals to make heart-healthy choices. "If successful, this project could lead to the integration of sustainable dietary counselling models into the existing public health system. It can bridge the gap between knowledge and action, improve health literacy, and ultimately reduce the burden of hypertension-related diseases. "This is not just about reducing salt. It's about restoring balance in our diets, our systems, and our hearts. Together, one pinch at a time, we can create lasting change," Dr Murali added. PTI

India is in grip of silent epidemic of excess salt consumption, says ICMR-NIE
India is in grip of silent epidemic of excess salt consumption, says ICMR-NIE

India Gazette

time5 hours ago

  • India Gazette

India is in grip of silent epidemic of excess salt consumption, says ICMR-NIE

By Shalini Bhardwaj New Delhi [India], July 13 (ANI): The Indian Council of Medical Research, National Institute of Epidemiology (ICMR-NIE), has launched a Community-led Salt Reduction initiative after studies revealed that average daily salt intake in both urban and rural India exceeds the World Health Organisation's recommended limit of 5 grams. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends consuming less than 5 grams of salt per person per day. Studies show that the average intake in India remains high, around 9.2 grams per day in urban areas and 5.6 grams in rural areas, both exceeding the recommended limit. 'This excess sodium intake significantly increases the risk of hypertension, stroke, heart disease, and kidney disorders, making salt reduction a national priority. One promising tool in this effort is low-sodium salt substitutes--blends where part of the sodium chloride is replaced with potassium or magnesium salts. 'Lesser sodium consumption helps reduce blood pressure and improves overall heart health, making low-sodium alternatives a meaningful switch, especially for those with hypertension,' said Dr Sharan Murali, Principal Investigator of the study, ICMR-NIE. 'Just switching to low-sodium salt can lower blood pressure by 7/4 mmHg on average--a small change with a big impact,' he added. An initiative has been launched by the ICMR-NIE in Punjab and Telangana to evaluate the effectiveness of structured salt reduction counselling delivered by health workers at Health and Wellness Centres in reducing BP and salt intake in patients with hypertension. 'To tackle this issue, we launched a three-year intervention project in Punjab and Telangana, supported by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Our goal is to evaluate the effectiveness of structured salt reduction counselling, delivered by health workers at Health & Wellness Centres (HWCs), in reducing blood pressure and sodium intake among individuals with hypertension,' Dr Murali stated. Currently, the initiative is in the first year of the project, focused on baseline assessments and field preparations. 'Counselling materials are not yet finalised; rather, we aim to co-create the intervention package with the community health workers, drawing on their experiences and incorporating their suggestions. It's not just about delivering health education--it's about listening, understanding, and building together,' said Dr Murali. 'To ensure our interventions are grounded in reality, we conducted a market survey across 300 retail outlets in Chennai to assess the availability and pricing of low-sodium salt (LSS): LSS was available in only 28% of retail outlets. It was seen in 52% of supermarkets but a dismal 4% in small grocery shops.' It said. 'The price of LSS averaged Rs 5.6 per 100g, more than twice the price of normal iodised salt (Rs 2.7 per 100g). These findings highlight a critical supply-demand disconnect.' 'The lower demand for low-sodium salt might be leading to its lower availability--it's a proxy indicator of awareness and access,' notes Dr Murali. 'Shaping Demand, One Pinch at a Time. To spark a public conversation around salt reduction, we recently launched the PinchForAChange campaign on Twitter and LinkedIn through ICMR-NIE. Using infographics, facts, and simple messages, the campaign aims to raise awareness about hidden salt sources, promote low-sodium alternatives, and empower individuals to make heart-healthy choices,' he added. 'If successful, this project could lead to the integration of sustainable dietary counselling models into the existing public health system. It can bridge the gap between knowledge and action, improve health literacy, and ultimately reduce the burden of hypertension-related diseases. This is not just about reducing salt. It's about restoring balance in our diets, our systems, and our hearts. Together, one pinch at a time, we can create lasting change,' said the Principal Investigator of the study, ICMR-NIE. (ANI)

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store