Dr. Devinder Kumar Manyal Attends Health Awareness Programme under ICMR-AIIMS STEPS-INDIA Study in Ramgarh

By Susheel Singh Charak

Ramgarh: Dr. Devinder Kumar Manyal, MLA of Ramgarh, attended a health awareness programme organised under the STEPS-INDIA Multi-Centric Study titled “Strategies for Enhanced Population Engagement and Health Care Seeking for Prevention and Control of Hypertension and Diabetes in India” — a project funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and implemented by AIIMS Jammu.

The event was held at Ayushman Arogya Mandir, Sanoora, and focused on promoting preventive healthcare and strengthening community engagement to tackle the rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), especially hypertension and diabetes.

The programme was coordinated by Dr. Richa Arora (BMO Nud) and Dr. Ritika Gupta (Ayushman Arogya Mandir, Sanoora), who ensured active community participation.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Devinder Kumar Manyal lauded the efforts of the medical and research teams involved in the project. He stressed the urgent need for addressing lifestyle-related illnesses in rural areas through early diagnosis, routine screening, and sustained awareness campaigns. He also expressed his full support for research-driven health initiatives that bring measurable benefits to grassroots healthcare delivery.

Dr. Richa Arora emphasized the importance of local-level interventions in encouraging timely health-seeking behavior and empowering frontline health workers.

Dr. Sitikantha Banerjee, Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine at AIIMS Jammu and Principal Investigator for the STEPS-INDIA Study in Samba district, elaborated on the objectives of the project. He said the study aims to develop scalable, community-based models for the prevention and control of NCDs based on scientific evidence and field research.

Also present were Dr. Sanjolly Gupta (Project Research Scientist – Medical), Dr. Aashima Magotra (Project Research Scientist – Non-Medical), and Mr. Sahil (Technical Support), who provided vital operational and technical support to ensure the success of the programme.

The initiative marks a significant step towards proactive public health engagement in Ramgarh and underscores the critical role of collaborative, evidence-based strategies in combating the NCD epidemic.