IPPNW-Students India

Seminar on War, Violence and Health

A South-Asian Perspective - Role of Indian Doctors
May 9th, 2004, at NDMVP SAMAJ's Medical College, Nashik, Maharashtra

Followed closely on the lines of Seminar on ‘War, Violence and Health- A South-Asian Perspective’ organized in New Delhi on 29th February, 2004 by IDPD, a seminar was held on 9th May 2004, at N.D.M.V.P.Samaj’s Medical College, Nashik.

The Seminar was organized by the college with help from IDPD under the aegis of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS), Nashik. The guests at the seminar included Brig. Ajit Apte, BGS, Deolali, a serving officer in the Indian Army, Dr. M.K.Mahajan, Prof. and Head, Dept. of Radiology, CMC, Ludhiana , Dr.Arun Mitra, General Secretary, IDPD, and Col.(Retd.) Prakash Pande, Registrar and Director, Students’ Welfare, MUHS, Nashik. Dr.M.R.Jape, Principal, N.D.M.V.P.Samaj’s Medical College, Nashik, welcomed all the guests and presided over the inaugural function.

Brig. Ajit Apte spoke on how even the serving military officers preferred peace over war and how war is no solution to any problem but another problem itself. Dr.M.K. Mahajan spoke on the ill-effects of radiation and Dr.Arun Mitra spoke on the cost of healthcare versus arms race in South Asia. Dr.(Mrs.) Sudha Aiyar, Faculty Member, Dept. of P.S.M. of the host college spoke on Violence and Mental Health.

Students from all over Maharshtra participated and there were also presentations by students of the host college :

1. Strategy to avert a nuclear war – Ms. Purva Chhibar and Ms. Swara Palekar.
2. For a lasting peace in South Asia – Ms. Ankita Chowdhary and Ms. Priyanka Sara.
3. Towards health through Peace – Ms. Neha Venkatesh.
4. Disaster Management – Mr. Ashutosh Gupte.

At last, there was a one-one interactive session where all students put forward their ideas on how to bring about peace and development in the region and how to spread the message of IDPD to the masses.