Prof Chitta Barala (Arizona State University, USA) and Dr Babu Ambat (Center for Environment and Development) visited the AIPH University and went around its facilities at its Pahala campus. They had an interaction with members of the faculty and discussed wide-ranging topics of mutual interest. AIPH university being a uniquely research-focused institution of higher education in the state is only the first public health university (second in the country). AIPH University is focused on collaborating with similar institutions of higher education and research from around the world. In that context, the role of bioinformatics in public health research was emphasised by Prof Barala.  Prof Barala was a member of the Higher Education Task Force set up by Government of Odisha which had strongly recommended a Public Health University for the state.

Dr Babu Ambat expressed his keen desire to collaborate with AIPH in setting up a Centre for Research in AYUSH with strong links from the oldest schools of Ayurveda that are still flourishing centres of health and well being in his native Kerala. It was agreed that a formal memorandum of understanding will be signed between AIPH and CED in coming months to take this proposal to fruition.

The meeting was facilitated by Deans Prof Aruna Panda, Prof Niranjan Behera, Pro Vice-Chancellor Prof Dhanada Mishra and Vice-Chancellor Prof Jyotirmaya Mahapatra.