Shillong Dec 12: Aiming at highlighting new and modern medical skills to medical practitioners, a three-day National Convention of Medical Library Association of India (MLAI) on the theme “Role of Medical Librarians in Global Health Initiatives” kicks started at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) here Wednesday.
The convention was participated by participants drawn from reputed health institutions from across the country. The Global Health Initiative is an interdisciplinary program dedicated to improving health and well-being through education, research and training.
“Medical sciences during the era of globalization have become so advanced that curing almost all chronic and dreaded diseases has become possible,” NEIGRIHMS director AG Ahangar observed in his address to the Convention, the first of its kind to be held in the North East.
“Even then a number of diseases altogether different and emerging are posing a constant threat to our health. Increasing prevalence of such diseases has reached epidemic proportions and it is important to develop cost effective strategies for prevention and treatment of diseases,” Ahangar, a cardiac surgeon of repute underscored.
MLAI president RP Kumar provided an insight into the development of medical library through the ages.
“There have been rapid advancements in bio-medical research in the last few years. Health science librarians are entrusted with the steady flow of information and their role as information specialists has thus, become all the more important in improving the quality of health care research,” said MLAI secretary Raj Kumar.
North Eastern Hill University vice-chancellor AN Rai pointed out that a vast majority of the people in the country had no access to public libraries and called for evolving a “seamless data access system”.
NEIGRIHMS librarian Wandahun Dkhar expressed confidence that the convention would offer “credible interface” for exchange of information on newer techniques which would be of immense help in the endeavour to acquire, retrieve and disseminate information to help health information seekers, researchers and the medical fraternity in general.
Altogether 34 research papers by medical librarians on a myriad of subjects related to medical sciences would be discussed at the ongoing convention.(SP News)
