Chandigarh:
“A health problem anywhere in the world is a concern for everybody in the world. The lesson is clear — we must collaborate more, interact more, share our challenges and share our success stories,” stated Vijay Nehra, Additional Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, while addressing the valedictory session of the 33rd International Public Health Management Development Program (IPHMDP) at PGIMER Chandigarh.
Conducted under the prestigious Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) initiative of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, the program marked the successful completion of its decennial edition, reaffirming India’s growing role in global public health leadership, academic diplomacy and South-South cooperation.
The ten-day international leadership program brought together 41 healthcare professionals and public health leaders from 18 countries, creating a vibrant platform for policy dialogue, cross-learning and exchange of best practices in public health management and health systems strengthening.
Complementing the Ministry of External Affairs, School of Public Health and Department of Community Medicine, Nehra praised the quality and impact of the initiative as he observed, “This has been a mutually beneficial exercise. It is not merely about governments inviting participants; those interacting with you also benefit by expanding their horizons and understanding diverse healthcare realities and cultures across the globe.”
Reflecting on the interconnected global health landscape, Nehra emphasized that amid wars and geopolitical tensions, concern for health remains one of humanity’s strongest unifying forces.
Recalling lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, Additional Secretary, MoHFW remarked, “COVID was not the first pandemic and certainly not the last. What it taught us is that health security cannot be isolated. During difficult times, nations collaborated, vaccines crossed borders and pharmaceuticals reached people across the world. That spirit of collaboration must become stronger.”
Highlighting India’s public health journey and the challenge of delivering healthcare to nearly 1.5 billion people, Mr. Nehra referred to his experience leading the Indian delegation during G20 Health Working Group meetings and underscored the vast scope for international cooperation.
“India has as much to learn from each one of you as we can share from our own experiences. Institutions like PGIMER Chandigarh represent some of the finest strengths of our healthcare ecosystem and spending time here is a valuable opportunity for every participant,” Additional Secretary, MoHFW said.
Congratulating delegates and faculty, Mr. Nehra appreciated the learning environment fostered by PGIMER and expressed confidence that the relationships built during the program would endure well beyond the course.
Addressing the gathering, Prof. Vivek Lal, Director, PGIMER Chandigarh, congratulated participants and organizers on the successful culmination of the landmark edition and highlighted the institute’s expanding global engagement.
“Over the last decade, IPHMDP has evolved into a globally respected model of leadership and management training that reflects India’s timeless philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ — the world is one family. Beyond academic learning, this initiative has built enduring bridges of trust, knowledge and friendship across nations, positioning PGIMER Chandigarh at the forefront of international public health capacity building and academic diplomacy,” stated Prof. Lal.
Director PGIMER further shared that following the recent participation of Viraj Singh, Additional Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, the Ministry has expressed keen interest in expanding collaborations and launching additional international training initiatives with PGIMER under the ITEC framework, recognising the sustained success and global impact of IPHMDP over the past decade.
Other dignitaries gracing the occasion included Pankaj Rai, Deputy Director (Administration), PGIMER Chandigarh, along with senior faculty members and officials associated with the program.
Sharing his thoughts, Rai said, “IPHMDP reflects PGIMER’s commitment to global collaboration, knowledge exchange and strengthening public health partnerships across nations.”
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Sonu Goel, Program Director, IPHMDP, noted that the 33rd edition carried forward the program’s distinguished legacy through experiential learning, leadership exercises and cultural immersion.
“This program is no longer merely a training initiative; it is a global movement of public health leadership. Through our growing network of IPHMDP ambassadors, ideas and innovations shared at PGIMER continue to strengthen health systems across continents,” Prof. Goel said.
He formally inducted participants into the growing international network of ‘IPHMDP Ambassadors’, who continue to replicate best practices and contribute to strengthening health systems in their respective countries.
Participants from several nations appreciated the program’s practical learning approach and exposure to innovative public health models at PGIMER, particularly telemedicine and tele-evidence initiatives that hold promise for strengthening healthcare delivery in resource-constrained settings. The program concluded with a certificate distribution ceremony.
The 33rd edition of IPHMDP once again showcased India’s expanding influence in global public health leadership and reinforced PGIMER Chandigarh’s emergence as a trusted international hub for sustainable health systems strengthening and global knowledge exchange.
