JMI organises webinar on Social Vulnerability and Health Equity-Emerging Issues of Access and Utilization in the times of Covid-19

The Department of Geography, Jamia Millia Islamia(JMI) organised a webinar on ‘Social Vulnerability and Health Equity-Emerging Issues of Access and Utilization in the times of Covid-19’. Prof. Sanghamitra Sheel Acharya from Centre for Social Medicine and Community Health, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University(JNU) was the main speaker in the webinar. It was organised under the aegis of UGC DRS-1 Programme organised the st Webinar in the Webinar Series/Extension Lecture-2020 on 26 th June, 2020.
The program was attended by learned scholars like Prof. P.K.Joshi, Chairperson ,Special Center for Disaster Research, Prof. J.S. Rawat , Chair Professor, Garhwal University, Almora and Prof. Syed Masood Ahmad and Prof. Shakeel Ahmed, ( Chair Professors, Jamia Millia Islamia), besides faculty members from the Department of Geography, JMI , JNU and other parts of the country, scholars, researchers and students.
The Program began with the introductory remarks by Prof Atiqur Rehman (Coordinator, UGC DRS-1). This was followed by the welcome and introduction of the speaker by Prof Mary Tahir (Dy Coordinator, UGC DRS-1 and Head, Department of Geography).
Prof Sanghamitra gave a very lucid lecture explaining the intricasies of the problem related to the topic with the help of various examples and supported data and facts. She reiterated the fact that very negligible amount of GDP is spent on Public Health Infrastructure. In the Covid scenario she stressed upon how the front line workers, the real Covid warriors need special consideration,
for they are in direct contact with COVID 19 patients.
She spoke on the problems of hospital helpers and students facing anxiety issues pertaining to their exams and careers need to be addressed properly. She also touched upon the genuine requirements of poor and migrant people.
Prof. Acharya also spoke about the issues related to women, children and elderly. Last but not the least she advocated disease distancing rather than social distancing. The lecture was followed by an array of questions and observations from the renowned guests and students.
The formal vote of thanks was given by Dr Taruna Bansal. She expressed sincere thanks to the Vice-Chancellor JMI Prof. Najma Akhtar for encouraging the teachers to engage in academic endeavours through webinars and seminars in lieu of the current covid scenario and also to do so on as part of the centenary celebrations of the university. She thanked the speaker profusely for her deliberations and all other dignitaries and students too for participating in the webinar.