Chandrakant Lahariya
Chandrakant Lahariya is an Indian medical doctor, epidemiologist, vaccinologist, public health & policy expert and writer. His work centers around improving health systems and health outcomes with special focus on improved access to quality health services for under-served communities. His work focuses on public policy interventions to address health inequities as well as to develop innovative workable models for health service delivery.
Chandrakant Lahariya | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1980s Gwalior, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Education | Medicine, Public Health, Public Policy |
| Alma mater | University of Delhi, University of Geneva, Institute Pasteur |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Known for | Epidemiology,Vaccinology and Immunology, Health systems, Universal Health Coverage |
| Title | Doctor |
Background and career
Lahariya was trained as physician at University of Delhi, followed by the advanced trainings in Public Health and Policy and Planning.He has worked with Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi [1] and G.R. Medical College, Gwalior in faculty positions. Lahariya has provided consultancy to a number of national and international agencies including the Government of India, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization (WHO). He has published a book and more than 300 highly cited articles in reputed bio-science journals as well as in nearly all leading Indian newspapers and weeklies [2-3].
Lahariya has more than 17 years of experience in areas of Polio elimination, vaccine introductions in national programs, Health systems strengthening, and disease outbreaks & epidemics prevention and control.
Vaccines and immunization
He is considered an internationally recognized expert on vaccination & immunization and has contributed to introduction of a number of new vaccines in government program of India (2008-13) and drafting of India’s first ever national vaccine policy in 2011. He has worked with and advised to the governments (in India) at both union level & in around 29 states & UTs. He has contributed to immunization policy formulation, new vaccines introduction and routine immunization strengthening since early 2004. His seminal paper titled as "A brief history of vaccines and vaccination in India" was published in Indian Journal of Medical Research in April 2014.
Community clinics of India
Dr Lahariya has been on forefront of conceptualization, design and implementation of a number of primary health care (PHC) reforms including Mohalla Clinics of Delhi, Basthi Dawakhana of Hyderabad and Sanjeevani Clinics in Madhya Pradesh, India, amongst other. He has contributed to design and scale up of health and wellness centres (HWCs) under Ayushman Bharat Program of India.
Health systems strengthening and universal health coverage
Dr Lahariya has worked closely with the union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt of India, NITI Aayog as well as many Indian states specially Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh,Maharashtra, Bihar, Rajasthan and Delhi. Over these years, he has contributed to various policies and programs including National Rural Health Mission, National Urban Health Mission, drafting of India's latest National Health Policy (NHP) 2017, design of Ayushman Bharat Program as well as implementation of various other initiatives on advancing Universal health coverage or UHC in India.
Epidemics and Pandemics
Lahariya started his career as physician and epidemiologist in late 2003 and early 2004. He was involved in one of the biggest documented measles outbreak investigation in Shivpuri, India. His early engagement in polio elimination efforts in the country as well as Yaws and Measles diseases resulted in development of hsi further interest in these areas. He had been engaged in preparedness and response against Chikungunya outbreak of 2005-06, Avian Flu in 2006; Pandemic flu (H1N1) 2009-10 and Zika virus in 2017-18. He has widely published on these outbreaks and epidemics. Interestingly, his first article in popular media was on SARS outbreak in China and was published in India's leading Hindi Daily Dainik Bhaskar on 17 April 2003.
Awards and recognitions
Chandrakant Lahariya is credited with a series of 'youngest' including as an awardee of The Government of India - Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Prof B.C. Shrivastava Foundation Award 2012 for his work on "translating community based health research in public policy". In 2016, he became the youngest person every-elected as fellow of the prestigious Indian Public Health Association (IPHA). In 2019, he received "Public Health Education Leadership Award' from the South East Public Health Education Institutions Network (SEAPHEIN). Lahariya has been referred as one of the most influential Indians under 35 years of age. His opinion is regularly sought on the health issues of international importance [4].
Lahariya has been compared with leading and successful Indians including Dr Maharaj Kishan Bhan and Dr Pukhraj Bafna. A former President of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics wrote about him that "I am impressed with Dr Chandrakant Lahariya for his work and vision to improve child survival in India. Dr Lahariya is a young, immensely talented and highly respected public health professional in India, who has significantly contributed to many activities of IAP including vaccinology courses, Mission Uday and has been a regular contributor to all major activities of IAP for last few years." [5]
Early life
Lahariya was born in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh and reportedly spent first 15 years of life in a village.
References
1. http://www.lhmc.in 2. https://web.archive.org/web/20110716214353/http://www.biomedexperts.com/Profile.bme/767633/Chandrakant_Lahariya 3. http://de.scientificcommons.org/chandrakant_lahariya 4. http://www.plosntds.org/article/info:doi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pntd.0000275 5. http://www.indianpediatrics.net/dec2013/dec-1085-1086.htm
