Dr M Ashraf Ganie, Professor of Endocrinology & Metabolism and Sub-Dean Research at SKIMS Srinagar has been nominated Chairman of the Joint Task Force instituted by the National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS) to conduct detailed study on the health issues of the populations inhabiting and the people visiting high-altitude Sub-Himalayan regions.
Pertinently, Dr Ashraf is Convenor of the J&K and Ladakh chapter of NAMS and has been involved in research on non-communicable diseases among tribal populations who generally inhabit high-altitude areas. He has also been the member of ICMR’s National Task Force on Universal Health Coverage among tribal population.
The Joint Task Force involving medical experts from NAMS, AFMS & SKIMS has been tasked, by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt of India, to develop a white paper to be submitted to the Ministry, for improving the interventions in the area of High-altitude medical problems.
The Task Force will identify the current status of High-altitude Medical problems, identify the deficiencies that need to be addressed and recommend measures for management of these problems.
The maiden meeting of the JTF was held through virtual mode earlier this week. The meeting was, among others, attended by Dr K K Deepak, Professor & Head, Physiology and Dean AIIMS New Delhi; Maj Gen Sandeep Thareja, Senior Consultant Medicine, AH(R&R); Brig Ajay Chandra, of General Hospital, Firozpur; Col Y Uday, Prof, Department of Medicine, AFMC Pune; Col VS Shekhawat, Senior Advisor, AH (R&R); Col Vivek Aggarwal of General Hospital, Leh and Dr Jyoti Kotwal.
Addressing the meeting, Dr Ashraf said that hypoxia, polycythemia, lung problems, heart diseases including hypertension are increasingly being recognized among the inhabitants of mountainous regions. He said serious and potentially fatal problems, such as high-altitude pulmonary edema or cerebral edema, occur in approximately 0.5 percent to 1.0 percent of visitors to elevations above 10,000 feet—especially with heavy physical exertion on arrival, such as climbing or skiing.
Most of the health problems remain unexplored as the research in this area very scarce and hence the Task Force, said Dr Ashraf
The final report of the Task Force is scheduled to be released at the 63rd Convocation and Annual Conference of NAMS to be organized from 6th to 8th October 2023 at Ramaiah Medical College, Bengaluru.
NAMS is a nodal agency under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare which acts as an advisory body to the Government of India in matters related to National Health Policy & Planning. NAMS also promotes Continuing Medical Education (CME) for medical & health professionals.
It may be noted that Dr Ashraf who is currently working as Professor of Endocrinology at SKIMS Srinagar has been working in the area of lifestyle disorders and has published numerous research papers on the subject.
Dr Ashraf was working as Associate Professor at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi before joining at SKIMS Soura. At SKIMS Dr Ashraf has taken many initiatives to create a vibrant research ecosystem at the Institute by establishing the Department of Clinical Research, Medical Research Unit and other similar facilities. (KNS)