Inaugurating the international seminar Udbod, jointly organized by the Ernakulam district administration and CUSAT Centre for Neuro Science, High Court Chief Justice Devan Ramachandran said that lots of misleading ideas are being spread about Alzheimer’s. The three day long international seminar is being conducted with the aim to make Kochi, India’s first dementia friendly city. He wished that Udbod could clear some of the misconceptions that the society has about Alzheimer’s. He called those who take care of Alzheimer’s patients as the real heroes. Justice Devan Ramachandran hoped that the seminar could offer them support, aid and assistance.
In the event presided over by district legal services authority secretary Saleena VG Nair, the official announcement of the project was done by BPCL Kochi executive director Prasad K Panicker. Udbod chairman Dr. Jacob Roy, Head of CUSAT’s department of biotechnology Professor Saritha G Bhatt, NHM state coordinator Dr Praveen G Pai, director of CUSAT’S centre for nueroscience Dr Baby Chakrapani and Udbod coordinator Prasad M Gopal spoke at the event.
Professor Edward Koo of the department of medicine and physiology, University of California, Kevin Louie, CEO of Caremark International in the United Kingdom, professor Martin Korte of the Helmholtz centre for infection research in Germany, noted musician Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri, Professor Mathew Varghese of the department of psychiatry NIMHANS in Bengaluru, Dr, Ralph Martins, foundation chair in the Ageing and Alzheimer’s Disease at the Edith Cowan University in Australia and Dr. Athreyi Ganguly, the WHO national promotional officer spoke at the various sessions held after the inauguration.
This seminar is conducted by the district administration in cooperation with the National Health Mission (NHM), Ernakulam district tourism promotion council (DTPC), Kerala University of Health Sciences, Kochi municipality, EDRAK, IMA Ernakulam, Kerala Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce, World Health Organization, Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI), Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India Kochi chapter (ARDSI) and MAGICS (Managing and Generating Innovations for Community Services).
