The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India organized a webinar on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Diseases (NAFLD) for medical officers of Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs), and District Hospitals to help empower them to deal with the growing problem of NAFLDs effectively. The webinar was held under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases, and its primary objective was to raise awareness, foster knowledge exchange, and promote collaboration about Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) and its impact on global health among medical officers in the country.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan stressed the importance of capacity-building programs for medical officers to deal with non-communicable diseases at the primary level. As the epidemiological profile of India has changed due to shifting demographics and economic growth, the increased role of PHCs, CHCs, and district hospitals is critical to inducing lifestyle-based changes and disseminating the right information to the community.
The webinar was attended by over 7,000 medical officers from all over the country and included informative presentations by renowned experts in the field of hepatology and public health. Participants had the opportunity to engage in interactive discussions, exchange ideas, ask questions, and seek clarification on NAFLD-related topics. The Capacity Building Programme will have two tracks: the first will include regular webinars, and the second will include three-day residential training programs. Madhya Pradesh will be the first state to undertake this residential training program.