Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Aug 20: The Directorate of Health Services Kashmir’s (DHSK) Epidemiology and Public Health Division, in collaboration with the NCDC, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, today organized an inaugural workshop and training program to launch the Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) initiative.
Held at the Banquet Hall, the event was inaugurated by the Director of Health Services Kashmir, Dr. Jehangir Bakshi.
The program was attended by key health officials including Dr. Mushtaq Ahmed, Divisional Nodal Officer, NHM; Dr. Jatinder Mehta, State Programme Manager, NHM; Dr. Nighat Yasmeen, DD Headquarters; Dr. Saba Wani, DD Schemes; Dr. Anjum Afshan, Epidemiologist, DHSK; Irfan Giri, Deputy Director Planning; senior Divisional Health Officers of the Directorate; all CMOs; NCDC MOs; and DEOs from across the districts.
Dr. Anjum Afshan delivered the welcome address and provided a brief overview of the program’s implementation.
This was followed by a felicitation ceremony honoring Dr. Bakshi, dignitaries, and the technical committee for NAFLD in Kashmir.
In his keynote address, Dr. Bakshi stressed the urgent need for mass awareness to combat the silent epidemic of NAFLD from its onset.
He highlighted the rising trends in obesity, Type II Diabetes Mellitus, insulin resistance, and poor lifestyle choices—such as unhealthy diets, irregular eating habits, and low physical activity—as key contributing factors.
Dr. Jatinder Mehta of NHM underscored the importance of acquiring two FibroScan devices for the Kashmir Division.
The workshop also featured several detailed presentations. Dr. Rouf Hussain Rathar, Assistant Professor at GMC Anantnag, presented on the operational guidelines for NAFLD under NP-NCD, while Dr. Riyaz Saif Andrabi, Consultant Gastroenterologist at JLNM Hospital, provided a clinical perspective on the diagnosis and management of NAFLD.
In addition, Dr. Rathar and Dr. Afshan jointly presented a roadmap for combating NAFLD in Kashmir.
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