NSHM Institute of Health Sciences, Kolkata successfully organised the 14th International Conference, 'iNATCONPH-2024', on September 27 and 28, 2024. The theme of the conference was 'Navigating the Future of Healthcare: Trends, Challenges and Innovations.' The conference received an overwhelming response, with more than 900 participants, 376 poster presentations, 47 oral presentations and 356 abstracts. Scholars from 8 different nations, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Canada, Egypt, Germany, Italy, Malaysia and Spain, participated in the event.
The conference was graced by a record number of 51 speakers from academia, industry and research institutes in India and abroad. The speakers represented diverse fields such as medicine, pharmacy, yoga, nutrition, psychology and public health.
Some of the prominent figures in attendance were Dr Amiya Bhaumik, Founder President of Lincoln University College, Malaysia; Dr Puttaraju, Honorable Vice-Chancellor of Mandya University, Government of Karnataka; Dr Subhashis Datta, Controller of Examination, MAKAUT; Dr Anjan Adhikari, Medical Superintendent and Vice Principal, Calcutta Medical College; Shubhendu Poddar, Vice President, HR Kothari Medical Center; Dr Abhijit Ghosh, Director VYASA; Syam Sunder Dey, CMO, Woodlands Multispecialty Hospital; Stephanie Soon, CEO of Elizabeth Heath, Malaysia; Atauallah Zerak, Ex-Officio Ministry of Agriculture, Afghanistan; Dr Pasquale De Toro, Associate Professor, University of Naples Federico II; Dr Alla Samy, Assistant Professor, Desert Research Center, Egypt and Dr Nayab Sultan, Director Global HSE Canada.
The event was inaugurated by Dr S.N. Bandyopadhyay, Principal of NSHM Institute of Health Sciences, Kolkata and Chairperson of the conference who stressed on the importance of extensive healthcare research and highlighted the global and Indian challenges in the sector, urging students and researchers to keep pace with technological advancements.
In his keynote address, Dr Amiya Bhaumik emphasised the need to modernise Malaysia's healthcare system by focussing not only on technological advancements but also on improving the mental attitudes of healthcare workers. He advised all healthcare professionals to integrate teachings from the Bhagavad Gita and Swami Vivekananda into their daily practice.
The conference was graced by the esteemed speaker, Dr Utpal Naresh Patel, chairman trustee, H.C.G. Charitable Trust, who called for a strengthened collaboration between educators and healthcare policymakers to ensure equitable healthcare access for all segments of society.
The event brought together visionary leaders in healthcare to discuss the future of wellness. Dr Ishwar Basavraddi emphasised the importance of merging ancient yoga practices with modern healthcare tools, while Dr Abhijit Ghosh highlighted the limitations of modern medicine and advocated for incorporating yoga into various treatments.
Stephanie Soon discussed the evolving role of pharmacists using the Swiss Cheese Model and Donabedian's Model of Care and Rupak Barua, CEO of Woodlands Hospital, shared insights on artificial intelligence's transformative potential in enhancing patient outcomes and operational efficiency. Dr Aanandya Balayogi Bhavnani, Director of ISCM, emphasised yoga's role in holistic healing.
The conference featured three thought-provoking panel discussions on the 'Transformative Impact of AI', 'Integrative Approaches to Preventive Medicine', and 'Expanding Role of Healthcare Professionals'.
The conference also featured international student contributions. Cecilia Battisti from the University of Udine, Italy, presented a comparative analysis of healthcare systems in India and Italy. Marianna Pfeifer from the Technical University of Munich discussed the importance of hygiene in healthcare, while Pilar Lozano Gonzalez from Spain praised the event for its rich intellectual exchange.
The event was followed by the long-awaited graduation ceremony, where the students from the prestigious batch of 2024, representing diverse fields such as business and management, media, design, computing, hotel & tourism management and health sciences, proudly received their hard-earned graduation certificates from their respective department heads.
The immense pleasure and sense of accomplishment were clearly reflected in their beaming faces. Dressed in their formal graduation regalia, the students radiated satisfaction and a strong determination to continue their growth and pursue even greater success in the future. The ceremony was a true
testament to the students' unwavering hard work, dedication, and perseverance throughout their academic journey. The event was attended by a proud gathering of faculty, parents, and friends, all united in celebrating the students' remarkable achievement and the exciting new chapter that lies ahead for them.
