Physicians Association for Nutrition India
Find out more about the PAN India team and their activities here. Visit PAN India's websiteAbout PAN India
The Physicians Association for Nutrition India (PAN India) was established in 2022 as part of the PAN International network. We align with the global strategy of PAN International on our mission to integrate nutrition-specific interventions into health systems in India by empowering healthcare professionals with the tools, techniques and know-how to treat their patients with the power of evidence-based nutrition.
India is home to more than a sixth of the world’s population (1.34 billion) and has been witnessing a rapid epidemiological transition, a shift towards chronic non-communicable diseases along with socio-economic development. As per 2022 statistics, non-communicable diseases in India account for 53% of all deaths and 44% of disability-adjusted life-years lost. India has the second highest number of people with diabetes in the world with around 77 million living with diabetes and a projection of 134 million by 2045. One 5th of all deaths in India are prematurely due to cardiovascular disease, and the country is currently experiencing a steep rise in hypertension both in rural and urban populations.
Seemingly innocuous, the financial costs of chronic diseases are staggering. In India, most of the expenditure on healthcare is out-of-pocket due to low health insurance penetration, making it even worse for the general public. Individuals have to deal with long-term debt after hospitalisation, which is definitely not a sustainable model.
Though we all know that the foremost method of curbing the chronic disease burden is to address dietary and other lifestyle habits, due to gaps in the curriculum, our doctors are inadequately trained and not equipped to facilitate this, resulting in higher reliance on a pharmacological approach.
PAN India’s mission is to educate healthcare professionals about Evidence-based Nutrition, disseminate relevant information among the general public and expand our international network thereby updating our knowledge base. It will eventually lead to the control and curbing of the spread of chronic diseases in the country.
Our goals
Our goals
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Empower healthcare professionals to use whole food, plant-based nutrition as first-line management for treatment and prevention of NCDs, thus, eventually reducing diet-related deaths and lowering the environmental footprint and preserving the biodiversity of the planet.
RAISE AWARENESS AMONG THE GENERAL PUBLIC
Creating public awareness is the first step towards building a healthy nation and a healthy world. PAN India will focus on media advocacy, conducting webinars and events to spread awareness about the power of plant-based nutrition to prevent, manage and reverse diseases.
PARTNERSHIPS WITH ORGANISATIONS WORKING IN THE FIELD OF NUTRITION
Increase knowledge integration and sustainability of programs and projects through partnerships and collaborations with like-minded organisations.
INTERNATIONAL NETWORKING
As part of its global strategy, PAN India will also focus on expanding its international network.
Meet the PAN India team
Meet the PAN India team
Dr. Rajeena Shahin
Medical Director, PAN India
Dr. Rajeena Shahin is one of the most ardent champions of transforming healthcare with therapeutic lifestyle interventions in India. She has completed an MBBS from T.D. Medical College, Kerala, India and holds a Masters in Business Administration from Bharathidasan University, Trichy, TN, India. She is a DIPLOMATE for Specialization in Lifestyle Medicine Physician from the International Board of Lifestyle Medicine (IBLM). She founded a health-tech platform facilitating comprehensive therapeutic lifestyle interventions for managing lifestyle disease & has transformed the lives of more than 2,000 clients as of 2022.
Dr. Shahin holds the firm belief that individual lifestyle choices have far-reaching impacts and are inextricably intertwined with planetary health and sustainability. She sees herself as a catalyst and ardent advocate of the movement to transform global healthcare systems with lifestyle & primarily plant-based nutrition at the core.
Shruti Sharma
Program Manager, PAN India
Shruti Sharma is a seasoned public health researcher with over 10 years of experience dedicated to improving population health. With a primary focus on Population Health Informatics, she combines data analysis and technology to identify patterns and trends in public health. Shruti’s research explores innovative ways to leverage data and technology for better population health outcomes. She has collaborated with prominent organizations like ICMR and NITI Ayog, working on diverse areas including mHealth, surveillance systems, and decision support systems.
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