Our course facilitators

The physiological and social demands of pregnancy are immense. A period of transformation that tests a woman's body and resilience in profound ways. Yet, this time of vulnerability also offers an unparalleled opportunity to understand and improve women's health across the life course. Environmental change including rising temperatures, air and water pollution, and extreme weather events is now emerging as a major stressor during this critical life stage, shaping both immediate pregnancy outcomes and long-term health trajectories for mothers and their children. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by environmental hazards. Biological factors such as hormonal and thermoregulatory changes interact with entrenched social and economic inequities --- limited access to healthcare, insecure housing, unpaid care responsibilities, and occupational exposures --- to heighten risk. For pregnant women in particular, exposure to extreme heat has been linked to complications such as preterm birth, l

Where there’s water there’s risk Drowning is one of the world’s biggest health challenges claiming around 300,000 lives each year. Over two-thirds of deaths occur in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific region. As the climate changes, extreme weather events are on the rise and drowning accounts for three-quarters of all deaths in flood disasters. Turning the tide on the drowning epidemic requires urgent action. But the right action requires accurate data – our comprehensive survey across vulnerable communities in coastal wetland regions of India has revealed that the burden is three times higher than previous estimates, and its hitting the young hardest. “If we trained 17 years ago, then I could have saved my own child.By: MangalaMother who lost her child through drowning Read Mangala's story The drowning trap: children and vulnerable communities Drowning is sometimes referred to as a silent epidemic - unseen, unheard and unaccounte

The George Institute for Global Health India, established in 2007, is a leading independent health research organisation committed to improving the lives of vulnerable and underserved populations across the country. With offices in New Delhi and Hyderabad, along with multiple field sites, our work spans 21 states across India. Central to our mission is turning research into action, ensuring that evidence is translated into practical solutions and policy change that directly improves health outcomes. At The George Institute, our areas of research address some of the world’s biggest health challenges, focusing on areas like cardiovascular health, health equity, health systems science, injury and trauma, mental health and neurology, multiple long-term conditions, renal and metabolic, women’s health, planetary health, and nutrition and food systems. Each program is designed to tackle specific health concerns through targeted research initiatives that aim to improve prevention,

High blood pressure (hypertension) is the leading preventable cause of death, driving millions of heart attacks, strokes and cases of dementia and kidney disease every year. It occurs when the pressure in the blood vessel walls is consistently too high and may be driven by behaviours we can change (e.g. diet, alcohol intake and inactivity) and factors we cannot (e.g. family history, age and ethnicity). Certain medical conditions may also increase the chance of developing high blood pressure, such as obesity, diabetes and kidney disease. Despite the serious risks, high blood pressure is often overlooked. It’s called a ‘silent killer’ as there are usually no symptoms. Around 1.4 billion adults are living with high blood pressure globally - around three-quarters in low- and middle-income countries - yet an estimated 600 million people don’t even know they have it. Without action, fewer than a quarter of people with high blood pressure will ever have it under control. This crisis is

Program overview High blood pressure is the biggest cause of premature death and disability worldwide, and excess sodium intake in the form of salt, is a major contributor. Despite global commitments to reduce population sodium intake, most countries remain off track to meet these targets, highlighting the need for new approaches that can improve cardiovascular health at scale. Our major focus of the Nutrition Implementation Research team is switching the world’s salt supply to potassium-enriched salt. Replacing regular salt with potassium-enriched salt has the potential to prevent an estimated 3 million deaths and 10 million strokes and heart attacks globally each year. Through research, stakeholder engagement and implementation strategies, the team is leading efforts to support the global transition to potassium-enriched salt and accelerate progress towards population sodium reduction. Expected outcomes Our research aims to support policies and programs that reduce sodium intake,

Climate change is one of the greatest threats to global health. Extreme weather events, rising temperatures and sea levels are worsening non-communicable diseases (NCDs), threatening food and water security, and cutting people off from healthcare when they need it most. Since the start of the 21st century, heat alone has killed around half a million people every year, on average. But the climate crisis does not affect everyone equally. The risks are different if you are pregnant, manage a chronic condition, or live in a region vulnerable to climate change. Our research seeks to improve our understanding of these different risks. Working with communities, we develop practical solutions to protect people across some of the geographies most affected by climate change, including the Pacific region, Indian subcontinent, and beyond. In doing so, we aim to help create a climate-resilient future where where health and wellbeing is prioritised and strengthened for generations to come.

Novo Nordisk Foundation is supporting research that could transform how nutritious food is integrated into pregnancy care.