KUHS Research Day: focus on geriatric care, indigenous medical devices, says ICMR official

With India’s elderly population projected to reach 347 million by 2050, research into geriatric healthcare must be intensified to address the growing burden of age-related illnesses, said Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Additional Director General Dr. Sanghamitra Pati.

Delivering the Padma Vibhushan Dr. M.S. Valiathan Memorial Oration at the second annual Research Day of the Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) at its Senate Hall on Wednesday, Dr. Pati highlighted the need for evidence-based interventions to address the multiple health challenges confronting the elderly.

India had 149 million elderly people in 2022, and more than 32% of them lived with multiple chronic conditions, while 29% exhibited high levels of depressive symptoms. An estimated 8.8 million elderly people were living with dementia, Dr. Pati said, underscoring the need for sustained research in geriatric care.

Appreciating KUHS for establishing a centre for geriatric care, Dr. Pati called for greater research into age-related health conditions and zoonotic diseases. Referring to the advances made by Indian medical researchers during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Pati urged young researchers to look beyond academic publications and pursue work that could bring meaningful social change.

Dr. Pati also stressed the importance of strengthening collaboration between KUHS and the ICMR to advance healthcare research. The university honoured 428 undergraduate students from its affiliated colleges with Research Appreciation Awards in recognition of their research contributions. Ph.D. scholars were also felicitated.

Inaugurating the event, KUHS Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Mohanan Kunnummal said the university sought to foster a research culture among students from their undergraduate years. Under its Research Appreciation Award initiative, KUHS planned to provide ₹10,000 each to 1,000 students annually.

Highlighting India’s dependence on imported medical equipment, Prof. Kunnummal called for nurturing young researchers capable of developing prototypes of innovative medical devices, thereby reducing the country’s reliance on imports. The possibilities of collaboration between the ICMR and KUHS were also discussed during the event.