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Life Member of 21 National and International Organisations |
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14 National Awards, Fellowships, and Recognitions |
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08 International Awards, Fellowships, and Recognitions |
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President – Indian Association of Preventive & Social Medicine (IAPSM) |
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Vice-President – Indian Public Health Association (IPHA) |
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Founder Member & Regional Coordinator, ICCIDD Since 1985 |
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1. Contributions in Community and National Programmes: National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Programme (NIDDCP) |
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Pioneered the Filter Paper Thyroxine Technique for estimation of TSH and T4 in cord blood samples in India, Bhutan and Nepal. |
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Along with investigators from Japan, developed a rapid microplate based urinary iodine estimation procedure. |
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Established the Micronutrient Laboratory at the Centre for Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi; it is part of the Centers for Diseases Control (Atlanta) coordinated International Resource Laboratories for Iodine Network. |
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| 2. Community Intervention Trial |
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International Multicentric Collaborative trial comparing intramuscular and oral preparations of iodized oil for prevention of IDD in endemic areas. |
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| 3. Operation Research |
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Standardized national programme assessment and evaluation of IDD Elimination Progarmmes. Adopted and recommended by WHO/UNCIEF/ICCIDD worldwide. |
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Developed methodologies for evaluation of economic implications of iodine deficiency disorders, and primary health care services in the country. |
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| 4. Policy and Programme Development |
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Working in the field of IDD since 1978 at state, national, regional and global level. |
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Development of national and international guidelines for epidemiological surveys, assessment, planning, management and implementation, monitoring and evaluation. |
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Path-breaking research on endemic goiter in school children, and demonstrated iodine deficiency as a cause; this work led to the concept of ‘extra-Himalayan areas’ of endemic goiter, and eventually IDD was reported as a public health problem. |
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Organized screening for neonatal hypothyroidism with the help of Traditional Birth Attendants; demonstrated the concept of ‘land to laboratory’. |
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Participated in translating research in national policy for universal salt iodisation. |
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Technical assistance for development of IEC campaign at the national level; resulted in the development of a national logo to eliminate IDD, which is being currently used. |
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External independent programme evaluation at state and national level. |
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Initiated and developed the concept of sustainability of IDD elimination. |
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| 5. Development of teaching material |
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Developed written series of teaching material for different target audiences. |
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Shared the honours of being ‘Best Teacher” at a course in Belgium. |
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Medical Consultant to a film on IDD “The Barren Harvest” which won a National Special Jury Award at the 35th National Film Festival, New Delhi. |
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Coordination of Urban Health Programme, and training of medical undergraduate and postgraduate students at AIIMS, including Health Economics. |
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Member of the Dean’s Research Committee at the AIIMS. |
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| 6. Member of Scientific Advisory Committees and Task Forces |
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National Institute of Epidemiology, National AIDS Research Institute and Department of Science and Technology. |
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Task Forces under the National Rural Health Mission, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India – Medical Education, Indian Public Health Standards, Strategies for Urban Health Care, and Accreditation of Rural Medical/Health Practitioners. |
