Sri Vijaya Puram, Oct. 09: The Resource Hub for Health Technology Assessment (HTA), ICMR–National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (NIRT), Chennai, in collaboration with the Directorate of Health Services (DHS), Sri Vijaya Puram, and ICMR–Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), Sri Vijaya Puram, organised the 4th Sensitization Workshop on Health Technology Assessment (HTA) on 8 October 2026 at the Conference Hall of ICMR–RMRC, Sri Vijaya Puram.
The workshop aimed to sensitise healthcare professionals and health administrators to the role of Health Technology Assessment in evidence-informed healthcare planning, resource allocation and policy formulation, with a special focus on its potential application in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The programme commenced with a welcome and keynote address by Dr. Aparup, Director, ICMR–RMRC, Sri Vijaya Puram, who highlighted the importance of evidence-based approaches in strengthening healthcare delivery and supporting informed decision-making in public health.
The technical sessions featured expert presentations on various aspects of HTA. Dr. Balu Venugopal, Scientist C, HTA Secretariat, Department of Health Research (DHR), New Delhi, delivered a talk on “HTA in India: An Overview and the Role of DHR in HTA,” providing insights into the national HTA framework and the role of DHR in promoting evidence-based healthcare decisions.
The main technical session, titled “Health Technology Assessment: From Evidence to Decision-Making,” was delivered by Dr. M. Muniyandi, Scientist E, ICMR–NIRT, Chennai. The session emphasised the importance of systematically evaluating health technologies and translating scientific evidence into practical decisions for healthcare planning and policy development.
Dr. Reshma Raju, Scientist D, HTA Secretariat, DHR, New Delhi, presented success stories of HTA, illustrating how evidence-based assessments can inform healthcare policies, improve resource utilisation and support the selection of appropriate health interventions.
The workshop was attended by Dr. Avijit Roy, Deputy Director of Health, DHS, Sri Vijaya Puram; Dr. Kalyan B. Kadbhane, Deputy Director, AYUSH, DHS, Sri Vijaya Puram; district programme managers; and Medical Officers from various Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs) and District Hospitals in Sri Vijaya Puram.
An interactive discussion involving the resource persons and participating stakeholders explored the feasibility of initiating and institutionalizing HTA activities in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Participants deliberated on the potential application of HTA to local healthcare priorities, the importance of generating context-specific evidence, and opportunities for strengthening collaboration among health administrators, healthcare professionals and research institutions.
The workshop provided a platform for knowledge exchange and stakeholder engagement, laying the groundwork for exploring the adoption of HTA as a systematic approach to evidence-informed healthcare decision-making in the Union Territory.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Rehnuma Parvez, Scientist E, ICMR–RMRC, Sri Vijaya Puram, who acknowledged the contributions of the resource persons, collaborating institutions and participating stakeholders towards the successful conduct of the workshop.
