Visible interface between health training, communities must: Mansukh Mandaviya

Showcasing India's achievements during this crisis, Dr. Mandaviya further mentioned that indigenous capacity building, be it in human resources or vaccination, India has been ramping up health infrastructure rapidly and this has boosted India's stature on a global level. Today, countries are seeking India's vaccines and this should make us and our countrymen proud of our efforts.

Reiterating the crucial role played by the health professionals, Dr. Mandaviya noted, "The health workforce is the channel for delivering health interventions to populations. A critical mass of health professionals is necessary to manage the health system and is often a crucial limiting factor in the delivery of quality health services."

He further stated that "It is time for the country to develop a public health culture by creating a robust public health education system." He did not just emphasize that public health education needs to be at par with the International level but also must be able to respond to public health issues at local levels in our country.

Noting the significance of holistic health education and its implementation to communities, he further added that, "There is a need to build a visible interface between public health training and communities so that the trained professionals can effectively deal with the problems in the communities. Interdisciplinary learning, which enables public health professionals to identify multiple determinants of health and influence them through multi-sectoral pathways, must be promoted. Public health learning needs to become more real-world oriented and equip the practitioner with problem-solving skills.

It is imperative to increase the interface of public health education with the health system, especially with health services at various levels, to ensure that public health professionals can become effective change agents and elevate the health system toward greater efficiency and equity."

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