Health Ministry organizes webinar for medical officers of PHCs, district hospitals

New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday organized a webinar on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Diseases (NAFLD) to empower medical officers of Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs) and District Hospitals.

“Capacity building is necessary for medical officers as it provides them with the unique opportunity to access valuable knowledge and expertise, contributing to their professional development and enhancing their ability to address the challenges posed by Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Diseases (NAFLD) effectively. It equips them with the skills to understand the risk factors, the appropriate diagnosis, as well as standard treatment flows to tackle the rising challenge of NAFLDs in the country,” said Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan.

He also highlighted the need for Capacity Building Programmes for medical officers to tackle non-communicable diseases at the primary level.

Furthermore, he said, as the economic and demographic profile of the country has changed, so has its epidemiological profile leading to a rise in non-communicable diseases. He stressed the increased role of PHCs, CHCs, and district hospitals and said, “As they work with the community directly, it is important they have the right information to disseminate to the community at large, as well as focus on inducing lifestyle-based changes.”

In view of NAFLD emerging as a growing health concern, the primary objective of this webinar organized under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases was to foster knowledge exchange, promote collaboration, and raise awareness about NASH (Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis) and its impact on global health among medical officers in the country, aid the Union Health Ministry statement.

The Capacity Building Programme will have two tracks; the first will include regular webinars, and the second will include three-day residential training programmes. Moreover, the first state to undertake this residential training programme will be Madhya Pradesh.

Renowned experts in the field of hepatology and public health delivered informative presentations, sharing their expertise and insights. Participants had the opportunity to engage in interactive discussions, exchange ideas, ask questions, and seek clarification on NAFLD-related topics.

The national webinar was attended by over 7,000 medical officers from across the country.