Dorairaj Prabhakaran

Dorairaj Prabhakaran

India

Statement of motivation

Credentials:
I am a cardiologist, epidemiologist and global health researcher from India: currently
the Executive Director of the Centre for Chronic Disease Control, New Delhi, a WHO collaborating centre and an Indian Council of Medical Research Collaborating Centre of Excellence. I am also a Distinguished Professor at the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI). Additionally, I have appointments in several international institutions. My research interests include non-communicable diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases, strongly focusing on capacity-building, implementation science and Global Health.

With over 650 peer-reviewed publications in high-impact scientific journals, I was recognized as the most-cited researcher in India between 2009-2014. Recognizing my contribution to Indian Science, I was elected as a Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy, the highest science academy in India.

I have chaired and been a member of several national and international Committees, including the International Society of Hypertension, many WHO and several Government of India committees, contributing to policy development in India and beyond. In recognition of my contribution to Global Health, I was awarded the prestigious Global Health Research Centre by the National Institute of Health Care and Research, UK.

Contributions to the World Heart Federation (WHF)

I have been an active member of the WHF, contributing to its activities in various capacities for over a decade. I was the first Chair of the Science committee from 2018-2022, Co-Chair of the Scientific Program for two World Congresses of Cardiology, Melbourne in 2014 and Sao Paulo in 2022 and a member of the Scientific Program Committee of the 2024 joint meeting of WHF and the Chinese Cardiac Society.

As Chair of the Science committee, I initiated the WHF COVID study in 23 Low- and Middle-Income countries, which provided important insights into COVID-19 in these countries for the first time. Additionally, I have led and co-authored several Roadmap publications on Hypertension, Secondary Prevention of CVD and Digital Health, and involved in advocacy activities, particularly on air pollution. Through a consortium of partners, including PHFI, the WHF and McMaster University, I led the WHF CVD training course to build the capacity of primary care physicians in CVD. I have played a key role in establishing a pivotal platform in India to catalyze transformative research in cardiovascular diseases in low-resource settings, supporting early, mid-career and senior researchers and serving as a centre for critical networking across institutions locally, regionally and globally.

What do I hope to achieve if elected?

I will leverage my extensive fundraising and networking experience to enhance WHF activities and collaborations, including with the WHO and advance the strategic vision of WHF, particularly equity in CVD care.

My top areas of focus will be :
• Addressing Multimorbidity and Integrating CVD with other diseases
• Promoting Community Engagement
• Capacity Building of researchers and primary care physicians and promoting implementation science, specifically in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

My rich repertoire of research and capacity-building, work portfolio and global contributions would make me an ideal candidate to take on the mantle for WHF.

Biography

Career: I am a Cardiologist with interests in   epidemiology , public health and global health.  My work in prevention resulted in WHO awarding the status of WHO Collaborating Centre for the Southeast Asia region to the Centre for Chronic Disease Control which I head.

Briefly, my work in India and other LMIC’s has demonstrated: the relationship of air pollution to several chronic diseases; the complex interplay of genetic and environmental drivers of chronic diseases in the rapidly urbanizing populations; and the higher risk of heart diseases among the poor and low‐ education groups underscoring the need to provide not just social safety nets but springboards for the poor to build a healthy population. To enhance access to chronic disease care, I am spearheading research on low‐cost, mobile-phone-based solutions to provide personalized patient management solutions, improving quality of care and evaluating several models of care and programs for building the capacity of primary care physicians in the field of chronic diseases.

I have more than 575 publications and was recently listed among the top 2% of World’s researchers by the Stanford University. Recognising my contribution to Indian Science, I was elected as a fellow of the Indian National Science Academy, the highest science academy of India. I was also conferred an honorary Doctor of Science award by the university of Glasgow in July 2022.

Policy: My work has had a significant impact on health care and policy. Under my editorial leadership, the World Bank published the cardiovascular-renal and respiratory disease volume of the latest Disease Control Priorities Project (https://dcp-3.org/cvd) which estimates the cost-effectiveness of available interventions and summarises to policymakers worldwide to prioritize their investments.

Work with WHF and Global Health:  I am active in Global Health in myriad ways. I have been part of several roadmaps and helped in the initiation and sustaining of the Emerging Leaders program. As Chair the Science Committee I have provided strategic guidance to the science committee and research at the WHF. I have led a large global study in COVID for the WHF involving several low and low middle income countries, where data on COVID is sparse and this is continuing as a long-term study.  I have also been involved in advocacy for air pollution.

What will I do if elected: Given my strong track record of Research Excellence and Advocacy skills I will articulate the needs of both the Associations and Foundations who are the soul of WHF. Working closely with the leadership of WHF, I will continue to remain the voice of the underserved communities and develop strategies to address the much-needed interventions for improving social determinants both in the LMICs and high-income countries. If elected I will serve in the WHF Executive Committee with the utmost sincerity and diligence.