Evidence backed by data can strengthen public health policy: Karnataka Health Secretary

Ritvik Ranjanam Pandey, Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka, addressing the participants at the launch of the fifth edition of ‘Evidence for Public Health Policy (EPHP)’ conference in Bengaluru on June 8, 2026. | Photo credit: File photo

“Public health policies can become significantly more effective when they are based on sound evidence, while the absence or misinterpretation of data can lead to misleading decisions,” said Ritvik Ranjanam Pandey, Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka.

He was addressing the participants at the opening ceremony of the fifth edition of the conference “Bringing Evidence to Public Health Policy (EPHP)” organized by the Institute of Public Health Bengaluru (IPH Bengaluru), in collaboration with the George Institute for Global Health (GIGH) India and the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) Antwerp, with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) at the Indian Research Institute of Bangalore (ICMR)).

Drawing on his experience at the Ministry of Health, he shared examples from tuberculosis control and maternal mortality monitoring to illustrate how assumptions unsupported by data can lead policymakers away from the real causes of public health problems.

Referring to an overview of tuberculosis mortality in Karnataka, he described how commonly held explanations such as migration and alcohol use were not supported by the program’s available data.

He highlighted how analysis of maternal mortality data revealed limitations in current reporting systems, stressing the need for better data and deeper investigation into underlying causes rather than relying solely on immediate clinical outcomes.

Mr Pandey urged participants to use the conference as an opportunity to generate practical evidence and practical solutions, noting that stronger research-policy partnerships can help governments make more informed decisions and improve public health outcomes.

Arnab Mukherji, Professor at the Center for Public Policy, IIM Bangalore, reflected on the institution’s long-standing involvement in public policy and health-related research. He highlighted the emergence of new initiatives focused on health systems and public policy and underlined the importance of involving a wide range of stakeholders, including the private sector, in improving health outcomes.

Dr. Ashoo Grover, Scientist-G and Head, Division of Delivery and Implementation Research, ICMR highlighted the importance of implementation research in bridging the persistent gap between evidence generation and policy adoption. She outlined ICMR’s efforts to institutionalize implementation research and strengthen research ecosystems to ensure that scientific evidence effectively informs health programs and policies.

The three-day conference focuses on the topic of future-oriented health systems and includes plenary sessions, panel discussions and workshops. The conference is attended by almost 300 participants, including researchers, politicians and doctors. Panel discussions will focus on implementation research, evidence-based policy making, health systems strengthening, and digital health innovation.

Published – June 9, 2026 10:35 AM IST