The Keralam government has constituted a high-level task force to develop an evidence-based road map for a phased prevention and early detection framework, along with appropriate treatment and rehabilitation plan, and an action plan for healthy ageing, with the broader objective of establishing a “Kerala Holistic Model for Health, Wellness and Longevity”.
According to the government order issued by the Health and Family Welfare department on Wednesday, the task force will be headed by the Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, with Health Minister K. Muraleedharan as vice-chairman. Sharmila Mary Joseph, Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare and AYUSH), will be the member-coordinator.
The 16-member task force includes K.R. Jyothilal, Additional Chief Secretary (Finance); Ratan Kelkar, Secretary to the Chief Minister; Deepak Singhal, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary; Shiv Kumar Sarin, Director of Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, New Delhi; Faizal E Kottikolon, chairman, KEF Holdings; C. Devidas Varier, managing director of AVP Coimbatore; Harsh Mahajan, chairman of Mahajan Imaging and Labs; Pratap Chauhan, chairman Jive Ayurva; Kancherioa Ravindranath, chairman, Global Hospital, Hyderabad; S.S. Lal, Director ReAct Asia Pacific; P.M. Varier, chief physician, Arya Vaidya Sala Kottakkal; M.V. Pillai, chairman International Cancer Care Network, USA, and Nisha Nigil, President-elect, Association of Kerala Medical Graduates in North America.
Path forward
It will then design a phased prevention and early-detection framework covering risk assessment, screening protocols, referral pathways, follow-up and measurable coverage targets, aligned with existing State and national programmes.
A significant component of its mandate is to explore and identify evidence-based models for coordination among modern medicine, Ayurveda and other recognised systems of medicine. The order specifically calls for clearly defined scopes of practice, clinical governance, consent, contraindications, referral mechanisms and adverse-event reporting.
The task force will also examine the creation of a network of diagnostic, hospital, rehabilitation and wellness services, including criteria for pilot projects, accreditation, quality assurance and independent evaluation.
Another proposed component is the implementation of a Keralam Health Intelligence and Longevity Grid, with emphasis on interoperability with existing health systems, consent, privacy, cybersecurity and data stewardship.
Its mandate extends to workforce development in nursing, allied health, public health and relevant systems of medicine. It will also set uop research partnerships in health economics and financing.
The task force has been asked to examine possible investment and public-private partnership (PPP) models for diagnostics and wellness infrastructure, specifying fiscal exposure, procurement safeguards and public benefit.
It will also examine standards and opportunities for health and wellness tourism and identify the legal, regulatory and institutional changes required to implement its recommendations.
The order also recommends facilitation and support of the proposed World Holistic Health Forum, “a global NGO”, after assessing its purpose, financial commitment and expected outcomes so that Kerala’s positioning as a “cradle and destination” for holistic health, wellness and longevity can be explored.
Action-oriented report
The task force is required to submit an action-oriented report within two months of its first meeting.
The report is expected to contain a baseline assessment and priorities, two or three defined pilot projects with details; a three-year phased roadmap, indicative costs and funding sources and fiscal risks.
The task force is also expected to draft institutional and regulatory measures, and an implementation dashboard specifying milestones and accountable departments.
The Health and Family Welfare department will function as the nodal department, with support from AYUSH, Finance and other departments. Research, analytical, financial, technical and secretarial personnel will be deputed from the Health Department and its attached organisations.
