Media Release

Mangaluru, Jun 28: CHD Group, India Country Office on Sunday June 27 celebrated its seventh Foundation Day.

The programme was conducted as a global health dialogue live-streamed on all CHD Group social media platforms, which was attended by over 3500 participants around the world. The thematic focus of the dialogue was on reclaiming gains to accelerate global health with convergent themes on sustainability, climate change and cascading risks from natural disasters and public health consequences.

Dr Edmond Fernandes, founder and CEO of CHD Group narrated CHD’s growth story and how it is now poised to nurture a healthy world working with country governments, United Nations agencies and multi-national companies in shaping sustainable futures.

The introductory keynote was given by Dr Yogan Pillay the country director of Clinton Health Access Initiative, South Africa and former deputy director-general of health of the Government of South Africa. Dr Pillay said that for global health security, the inclusion of global health solidarity was required. “The 2019-2020-2021 period has reminded us really of our interconnectedness. Pre 2019, global health was concerned in terms of multilateral organisations and global health security and I think the global pandemic has forced us to rethink global health security and include global health solidarity.” 

Dr Syed Muntasir Mamun, director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangladesh in his deliberation spoke about how the pandemic has pushed the policymakers to rethink the entire levels of existence and operations relative to the way global architecture is going to be in the next decade and years from today.

Other esteemed speakers around the world like Chiara Menchise from CIMA, Italy addressed
the need for governmental legislation required to combat climate change and how to create a more sustainable post-pandemic future.

Dr Ivana Haluskova Balter from France who is advisor to the ASEAN region and Dr Sloka Iyengar,
representative of CHD Group, New York deliberated on the need for collective progressive leadership and inter-sectoral relationships to support public health.

Dr Fatemeh Rezaei from Iran talked about how Iran was coping with the crises while Dr Vineeth Kaur Ahuja, occupational health specialist of Unilever, Ghana discussed the importance of sustainability to prepare for future shocks.

Dr Kieran Wash, clinical director of The British Medical Journal, London concluded the webinar with his note on making Covid-19 resources accessible to the population and how researchers and policymakers can be more informed and updated regularly with changing global health trends and an evolving pandemic.

Dr Demi Miriam moderated the global health dialogue and delivered the vote of thanks.