HEALTHCARE AND COVID-19 PROGRAMS
Research Project
Studying the Efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines:
Can vaccines help curb the spread of COVID-19? Our Center supported the research of Nischay Mishra, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at the Center for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University on the genomics of the SARS CoV-2 virus. Dr. Mishra was awarded the 2021 Yusuf Hamied Fellowship, a joint initiative of the Mailman School of Public Health and Columbia Global Centers | Mumbai. Studying individuals infected with Sars CoV-2 even after taking both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, his research aimed to yield valuable insights on the efficacy of vaccines to treat Covid-19. Findings from his research will help in increasing the urgency of tracking the spread of specific variants in the human population and for modifying the antigenic composition of the vaccine.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Public Programs
Community Health Workers and Covid-19
The day-long symposium, on June 21, 2023, delved into the role of community health workers (CHWs) in combating the COVID-19 pandemic within marginalized communities. Dr. Nerges Mistry, Director of The Foundation of Medical Research, provided insights into the history and impact of India's ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activists), the largest group of CHWs in the world. Additionally, Dr. Robert Fullilove, Associate Dean for Community and Minority Affairs and Co-Director of the Cities Research Group at Columbia University discussed the promising beginnings of CHW programs in the United States.
Read more
Vaccines and Variants
How effective are vaccines against the emerging variants of the SARS CoV-2 virus? We held an online panel discussion on July 28, 2021 to discuss the emergence of Covid variants and understand the clinical processes associated with vaccine research and development. Our panel of experts led by Vincent Racaniello, Higgins Professor of Microbiology & Immunology, Columbia University Medical Center, Nischay Mishra, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, Center for Infection and Immunity, Columbia University Medical Center and Gagandeep Kang, Professor of Microbiology, Division of Gastrointestinal Sciences, Christian Medical College deliberated on how global equity, accessibility, and scientific cooperation can be sustained for combating the current pandemic and its mutations as well as future outbreaks.
Read more
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Oral Healthcare during COVID-19:
Our Center conducted a two-part series on oral healthcare in collaboration with Columbia Global Centers | Nairobi and the College of Dental Medicine (CDM) at Columbia University to discuss lessons learned from India, Kenya and the United States in finding innovative ways to provide in-person and virtual clinical and outreach services in dental healthcare delivery during the pandemic. The webinars held on July 13 and July 20, 2020, featured faculty members, Sharon Perelman, Assistant Professor and Chief Medical Informatics Officer, Biana Roykh, Associate Professor and Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, James B. Fine, Professor and Associate Dean of Postdoctoral Programs, and G. Rajesh, Professor and Head, Public Health Dentistry, Manipal College of Dental Sciences.
Read more
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Women and Heart Disease during COVID-19:
On June 4, 2020, we partnered with the Women Creating Change initiative of the Center for the Study of Social Difference at Columbia University for a webinar moderated by Dr. Sonia Tolani, Co-Director of the Columbia Women’s Heart Center, and featuring Jennifer Haythe, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Columbia University Medical Center and D. Prabhakaran, Executive Director of the Center for Chronic Disease and Control in New Delhi, to discuss how the coronavirus crisis has altered the way in which women seek cardiovascular care and the various approaches to improving women’s health during a pandemic.
Read more
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Great Vaccine Race:
In an effort to understand the development, distribution and delivery of Covid-19 vaccines, Columbia Global Centers | Mumbai organized a panel discussion on February 8, 2021. The panel of experts led by Wafaa El-Sadr, University Professor of Epidemiology and Medicine and Director of ICAP at Columbia University, Nischay Mishra, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at Mailman School of Public Health, and Sandra Albert, Director, Indian Institute of Public Health - Shillong explored the science and ethics involved in vaccine development and equitable distribution. The panel discussion was followed by an interactive question and answer session with the audience that comprised researchers, health professionals and concerned citizens.
Read more
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Airborne and Drug-Resistant: Tuberculosis during COVID-19:
Did the consecutive Covid-19 waves and multiple lockdowns compromise the global fight against Tuberculosis (TB)? We collaborated with Columbia Global Centers | Nairobi, for a virtual panel discussion with leading experts on November 30, 2021 to understand the effect of the pandemic on healthcare and efforts to eliminate TB, the implications of vaccines on both, and treatment outcomes. Led by Nischay Mishra, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, Columbia University Medical Center, the panel featured Dr. Neil Schluger, Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, Dr. Irene Mugenya, Clinical Manager-Kagemi/Trial Physician in Kenya, Dr. Ravindra Dewan, Director of National Institute of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases, New Delhi.
Read more
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Educating Nurses during COVID-19:
How did nursing schools respond to the unexpected COVID outbreak? How did nurses deal with the psychological distress that accompanied such a crisis? We hosted a webinar led by Professor Lorraine Frazier, Dean, Columbia School of Nursing, Professor Jennifer Dohrn, Assistant Dean, Office of Global Initiatives, and Professor Kellie Bryant, Executive Director for the Center of Simulation Learning to explore how simulation learning and other innovative methods developed by Columbia University School of Nursing prepared and trained nurses for effective and safe clinical care during the current pandemic.