9TH NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF IDPD on theme Peace and Development: A Public health perspective

Ludhiana, February 10, 2013, 2013: Indian Doctors for Peace and Development  (IDPD) president Dr. LS Chawla, general secretary Dr. Arun Mitra and finance secretary Dr. Bharti Uppal have said it is unfortunate that the world spends over Rs. 24,000 crores of rupees on arms race per day. On the other hand 14,700 children die of hunger everyday mainly in Africa and South Asia. There is thus urgent need to divert expenditure from arms race to health, education and development.

They told that their organisation as an affiliate of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) – (winner of Nobel Peace Prize 1985) has been campaigning for the abolition of nuclear weapons, check on the proliferation of small arms, confidence building measures among nations through people to people relations so that the wasteful expenditure on arms race is diverted to the welfare of mankind.

Further, they said their country is one among those with poor health indicators. But because of continued arms race in South Asia we have to spend huge amount of our budget on defense. This is causing  adverse effect on the expenditure on health and education. Out public health expenditure is less than 2% of GDP. “We need to spend a minimum of 6% to meet the basic bare minimum health needs of our people”, they said.

They told that their upcoming 9th national conference is therefore being held on the theme Peace and Development – A Public health perspective. During the conference they shall deliberate extensively on the issues of public health, peaceful co-existence in South Asia, violence against women, intolerance and violence and above all the abolition of nuclear weapons from earth.

Programme:

February 15^th 2013 /4.00 pm to 7.00pm

Target X, Message Balloon Release and March for HEALTH THROUGH PEACE at Sarabha Nagar Market, Ludhiana

February  16^th 2013 -Dumra Auditorium, DMC, Ludhiana

MEDICAL STUDENTS’ CONFERENCE - 9.00AM TO 2.00PM

MAIN CONFERENCE -3.00PM TO 7.30PM

Inaugural Session/3.00pm to 4.30pm

Scientific Sessions/5.00pm to 7.30pm

Scientific Session/5.00pm to 7.00pm

5.00pm  to 5.30pm                 

Challenges of Public Health in India

Dr Imrana Qadeer – Visiting faculty at the Council for Social Development. 

5.30pm to 6.00pm                  

India’s Pursuit to Meet  Millennium development goal on health

Dr Shakeel Ur Rahaman – National Secretary IDPD

6.00pm to 6.30pm                  

Conceptual Changes in Health Policy for Universal Access to Health Care

Dr Tejbir Singh – Prof. and HOD Dept. of Community Medicine Government Medical College Amritsar

7.10pm to 7.30pm                  

The Importance of Peace for the Industrial Growth and Economy

 Manoj Singhal – Chairman and Managing Director M and M Auto Industries Ltd.

17^th February 2013

Panel Discussion   - I/9.00am to 9.50am

9.00am  to 9.30am     

Peaceful co- existence in Indian Sub Continent

Key Address by Maj. Gen (Retd.) Viond Saighal

 Panel Discussion – II/10.00am to 10.50am

10.00am to 10.30am              

Growing intolerance – A Threat to Peace, Health and Development 

Key Address by Prof Arjun Dev –  Coordinator of  Towards Freedom, a research project of the Indian Council of Historical Research

 Video Conference   11.20noon to 12.10pm

11.20noon to 12.10pm   

Video Conferencing with Dr Till Man Ruff, Co-President IPPNW

Panel Discussion       - III/12.10pm to 1.00pm 

12.10pm to 12.35pm

Violence Against Women - Need for Comprehensive Approach  

Key Address by  Amarjeet Kaur – Former General Secretary National Federation of Indian women (NFIW)

 Panel Discussion      - IV/1.00pm to 1.50pm

1.00pm to 1.30pm/Arms Race in Whose Benefit?  

Key Address by Prof. Achin Vanaik - Former Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Delhi University.

Valedictory Session

2.30pm to 5.00pm

Building IDPD to Meet New Challenges