Nanavati Hospital in association with The Ohio State University hosts the ‘International Emerging Infectious Disease Conference 2018’

by Najuka G

Mumbai, December 2018 – India is suffering with the burden of infectious diseases.  In the last decade, there has been an outbreak of new infections and increase in the mortality rate. Infectious diseases are a leading cause of death worldwide and a major threat to our food supply and natural resources. Dengue, tuberculosis, plague, leptospirosis among others have seen an accelerated growth and a leading cause of concern in our society.  There is an urgent need to increase the awareness about these diseases. The International Emerging Infectious Diseases Conference 2018 was conducted at Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital to create awareness and more insight about the management these diseases. The conference was held to understand the new evolving challenges in our country and the western world. The resurgence of old diseases like malaria, leptospirosis among the others are now posing a new threat in our country and other continents. A worldwide collective effort is the need of the hour to contain this new threat. The objective of the conference is to exchange ideas and collectively help tackle the new emerging threats.

This 2-day international conference was indeed an enlightening one. The stalwarts of the medical fraternity - Infectious diseases specialists of India & Ohio State University, USA came forward to exchange great ideas, approaches, challenges & way forward. The Conference was inaugurated by US Consul General Mr. Edgard D. Kagan. The conference had more than 200 delegates including doctors consisting of senior consultants, and postgraduate students across the country. Speaking about the conference, Dr. Rajendra Patankar- COO, Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital said “India has seen a rapid growth of infectious diseases in the last few years. Preventing them from growing at this pace is the need of the hour.  The Infectious disease conference is a great platform to discuss the increasing infectious diseases in India and develop strategies to mitigate it. This also has an impact on the productivity of our country.” The academic interactive collaboration was a great endeavour in tackling the deadly infectious diseases in a holistic pattern, open new arenas, give inputs to research and ultimately benefit the mankind. Speaking at the Conference, US Consul General, Mr, Edgard D. Kagan emphasized that “The United States is a partner for a world better protected against global health threats posed by infectious diseases where we can detect, prevent, and mitigate the impact of outbreaks and the release of dangerous pathogens.” Speaking at the Conference, Dr Abhay Satoskar – Professor, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, elaborated that “The faculty at the Ohio State University are involved with discovery of novel tools and technologies for prevention and control of many infectious diseases that pose a threat globally. This conference provides a platform for researchers from USA, India and other regional countries to come together to combat emerging infectious disease threats worldwide”

About Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital : Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital is a tertiary care private hospital in the country which has been at the forefront of healthcare for the past 65 years.  The 350-bedded facility, is being managed by Radiant Life Care Private Limited which aims at facilitating the ongoing pursuit of excellence at the Hospital by assisting and bringing-in not only the best clinical and non-clinical talent but also the ultra-modern equipment and technology enabling delivery of the highest standards of healthcare in our country. 

The hospital is equipped with 55 speciality departments offering plethora of services in practically every field of modern medicine and healthcare. Well-equipped hospital rooms, state-of-the-art infrastructure and technologically advanced systems are all backed by the expertise of over 350 consultants, 100 resident doctors, 475 nursing staff and 1500 employees. 

The hospital provides a wide spectrum of Super Speciality Services in the field of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Urology, Kidney Transplant, Nephrology, Gastroenterology, Cancer, BMT, Cardiac and Surgical Gastroenterology, Liver Transplant, Orthopaedics including Spine Surgery, Joint Replacement & Sports Medicine, Cosmetic & Reconstructive Surgery and comprehensive Mother & Child Care. 

About The Ohio State University : Established in 1870, The Ohio State University is a world class research university located in Columbus, Ohio, the state’s capital and largest city. Ohio State has attained national and international distinction in education and research and is ranked among the top 20 public universities in the United States (US News & World Report). Students benefit from a scholarly environment in which research inspires and informs teaching. Ohio State offers more than 200 majors (from liberal arts to biological sciences), nearly 500 areas of specialization, more than 1000 student organizations and co-op/internships opportunities in every field. Experiences in and out of the classroom help students network, gain skills and strengthen their preparation for employment or graduate school. Ohio State ranks 12th amongst public research universities in the United States and is ranked 4th in industry sponsored research (per National Science Foundation). The university’s research labs, expert faculty and ties to industry result in a high ranking for Ohio State’s programs in the biological, medical and physical sciences, as well as in technology and engineering.

The Ohio State University is committed to becoming a preeminent global university – one that prepares its students and faculty to participate actively in knowledge-based collaborations around the world. To solidify Ohio State's commitment to enhancing its global interactions, the university is pursuing opening offices – Global Gateways. Ohio State opened Gateway office locations in Shanghai, China (February 2010), Mumbai, India (March 2012) and São Paulo, Brazil (September 2014). The locations for the Gateways capitalize on the strengths of Ohio State's connections across the globe and provide the university with a myriad of opportunities, including operational support for faculty research/teaching and international partnerships, a portal for education abroad, a location for international student recruitment, a center for academic programming as well as executive and corporate training, a location for alumni gatherings and a new way to partner with Ohio-based companies operating in global markets.

The Ohio State University Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) was established in 2017 to build upon the successes of previous university programs and accelerate infectious disease research and education with a simpler, more integrated infrastructure. Designed to be inclusive and nimble, IDI supports researchers and educators throughout the university with resources, connections and opportunities. It provides a structure that maximizes our comprehensive capabilities and streamlines our efforts, and it promotes a clear external understanding of Ohio State’s infectious disease activities that strengthens efforts to partner with industry, government and other organizations. Through a team based approach, IDI will advance a comprehensive strategy connecting new knowledge to applications in six programmatic areas: Antimicrobial Resistance; Ecology, Epidemiology and Population Health; Host Defense and Microbial Biology; Microbial Communities; Prevention, Detection and Therapies; and Viruses and Emerging Pathogens.