ACCESS Health recently participated in the 2nd Global Health Literacy Summit, held from September 18-20, 2024, in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The summit gathered experts, policymakers, and advocates to address key issues surrounding health literacy, focusing on non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
ACCESS Health contributed to the symposium “Empowering Communities: Strategies for Enhancing Health Literacy in Non-Communicable Disease Prevention and Management.” Dr. N Krishna Reddy, CEO of ACCESS Health International, moderated the session and also set the context for discussions on health literacy in diverse communities.
The panel featured insightful contributions from:
- Mr. Girish Bommakanti, Director, Operations & Strategic Growth, on “Health Literacy Needs Among Healthcare Providers in Khammam”
- Dr. Shweta Singh, Senior Technical Specialist (Research and Public Health), on “A Community-based Health Literacy Intervention for NCDs in Chhattisgarh, India”
- Dr. Shrikant Kalaskar, Technical Head – Public Health and Capacity Building, on “Health Literacy Interventions through Volunteers for NCD Prevention and Management in Telangana’s Road Transport Corporation (RTC)”
- Dr. Chilshu Chandran, Project Officer, on “A Landscape Review of NCD Literacy Assessment Tools in Asia”
The presenters shared evidence-based case studies and key learnings from health literacy programs aimed at preventing and managing NCDs across India. The session emphasized the critical role of healthcare providers, communities, and workplaces in fostering better health literacy. Additionally, it highlighted practical, actionable strategies for empowering communities to address NCD challenges.
This symposium provided valuable insights and equipped participants with tools to make a tangible difference in improving health literacy and NCD outcomes in diverse settings.