GITAM Inaugurates International Conference on ‘Integrative Trends in Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences’
The GITAM School of Pharmacy proudly inaugurated the three-day International Conference on ‘Integrative Trends in Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences’ (Healthcare Next 2025) today, setting the stage for a vibrant exchange of ideas and innovations in the healthcare sector.
The inaugural session was graced by Dr. Akella Venkateswarlu, Founding Director of Dr. Reddy’s Institute of Life Sciences, who served as the chief guest, along with Dr. A. Ramkishan, Deputy Director of CDSCO, Hyderabad, who was the guest of honor. Their insightful addresses highlighted the imperative of Universal Health Care (UHC) as a moral, economic, and scientific necessity.
Dr. Akella emphasized the critical need for continued investment in healthcare, underscoring how it leads to long-term social benefits such as enhanced productivity, improved public health, and reduced inequality. He articulated the challenges facing UHC implementation, including financial constraints, political issues, and the limitations of infrastructure and trained workforce. Furthermore, he presented innovative solutions such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital healthcare, telemedicine, and personalized medicine as pivotal tools in promoting UHC.
“We must ensure that medicines are affordable for every citizen,” Dr. Akella asserted, calling upon the scientific community to collaborate in this pursuit.
Dr. A. Ramkishan highlighted the importance of good medicine for humble patients and discussed the ongoing efforts by the Government of India regarding health reforms and clinical trials. He emphasized the need for a holistic approach that bridges the gap between academia, industry, and regulatory mechanisms to develop novel therapeutic drugs (about 7,129 diseases across the world, and 85 are dangerous) for vulnerable populations, ensuring quality, safety, and efficacy.
The inaugural session also featured contributions from esteemed professionals including Prof. Jagattaran Das, Dean of Pharmacy, Prof. D.S. Rao, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Parimal Misra, Chief Scientist at Dr. Reddy’s Institute of Life Sciences, Prof. Srinivas Nanduri, Dean of NIPER, Hyderabad, Prof. Vinod Kumar from the Central University of Punjab, and Dr. Jurica Novak, Scientist at the Center for Informatics, Croatia, who delivered expert talks on various topics.
The event commenced with the guests releasing the Abstract Book and lighting a lamp, symbolizing the enlightenment of knowledge. The welcome note was delivered by Dr. Prateek Pathak and Dr. Ashish Ranjan Dwivedi, while Prof. G. Shiva Kumar, Principal of the School of Pharmacy, proposed the vote of thanks. The audience was treated to a mesmerizing Kuchipudi dance by Swapnika and an invocation song by Dr. G. Srikanth, which received warm applause.
The conference will continue until Friday, featuring a diverse range of sessions aimed at fostering collaboration and innovation within the pharmaceutical and health sciences sectors.
