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Women’s Health Forum at AAPI Global Health Summit Highlights Social, Behavioral and Lived Dimensions of Women’s Health
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Women’s Health Forum at AAPI Global Health Summit Highlights Social, Behavioral and Lived Dimensions of Women’s Health
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Women’s Health Forum at AAPI Global Health Summit Highlights Social, Behavioral and Lived Dimensions of Women’s Health
Women’s Health Forum at AAPI Global Health Summit Highlights Social, Behavioral and Lived Dimensions of Women’s Health
As part of the 19th Annual Global Health Summit 2026, hosted by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) at Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), a dedicated Women’s Health Forum was organized on 11th January 2026, bringing together eminent clinicians, researchers, public health experts, and thought leaders to deliberate on critical issues shaping women’s health in India and globally.
The forum, themed “Women’s Health: Nation’s Wealth,” was co-chaired by Dr. Kalpalatha Guntupalli, Bayor and Dr. Tapti Panda, and featured multiple sessions addressing nutrition, tribal health needs, leadership challenges, health communication, and women’s lived experiences across diverse contexts .
Dr. Ramya Pinnamaneni, Director, School of Public Health, KIIT-DU, delivered a talk titled “Beyond Access: Social and Behavioral Determinants of Women’s Health and Nutrition in India.” In her address, she emphasized that improvements in women’s health outcomes require moving beyond service availability to address socio-cultural norms, household decision-making, information inequities, and the knowledge–practice gap. Drawing on her journey from clinical medicine to public health, she highlighted evidence from research on maternal nutrition, anemia, breastfeeding, and the first 1,000 days of life to illustrate how social and behavioral factors shape women’s ability to act on health information.
Other distinguished speakers in the forum included Dr. Sister Aquinas Edassery, Founder Swasthya Swaraj Society, Kalahandi; Dr. Sanghamitra Pati, Additional Director General, ICMR; Dr. Divya Kochar Navani, Founder-CEO Internal Medicine Associates, and Dr. Pushpa Rao, Board Member APS Type 1 USA, who shared perspectives on tribal medical needs, sickle cell disease, women’s leadership, and personal and professional challenges faced by women in healthcare and society .
A special segment titled “From Pitch to Policy” featured members of the Visually Challenged Women’s T20 Cricket Champions, highlighting the intersection of gender, disability, and policy advocacy. Another highlight of the forum was “The Real and the Reel,” which examined India’s COVID-19 experience and vaccine communication, featuring Dr. Priya Abraham, noted virologist, along with actress Pallavi Joshi and film director Vivek Agnihotri .
The Women’s Health Forum provided a vibrant platform for interdisciplinary dialogue, reinforcing the importance of integrating social, behavioral, and cultural perspectives into health systems and policy to advance equitable and sustainable improvements in women’s health.