The Health Education & Awareness League (HEAL) Foundation, born with the objective of facilitating meaningful communication between journalists, health communicators, research scientists, doctors and policy makers to raise public awareness on health issues, has organised third two-day convention on August 30 & 31 at Aamby Valley City, Lonavala in Maharashtra. The convention was attended by renowned doctors, writers, healthcare experts from all across the country.

Speaking on the inaugural occasion of the 3rd National Health Writers and Editors Convention, R Shankar, president, HEAL Foundation said, “With rising healthcare awareness, reporting on healthcare issues needs to be scaled up. The need for training and knowledge up-gradation of reporters on healthcare beat is necessary. It is also felt that domain knowledge and expertise were the weak links in the information chain. It is against this backdrop that HEAL was born and took up the challenge to make training and honing of skills of reporters in a highly professional atmosphere by seeking the expertise from Key Opinion Leaders and medical and scientific experts.”

To further expand the horizons, plans are afoot to bring more writers and editors on one platform. To celebrate the spirit of health reportage we conduct yearly conventions which are elaborate and which give an opportunity to network, meet peers and colleagues from across geographical spectrum and analyse current current trends in health and nutrition at a macro level – all this under the guidance of India's most respected experts, R Shankar added.

The convention was attended by Dr S M Sadikot, president elect, International Diabetes Federation, Pradip Chakraborty, director IEC, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India, Dr Ashok Seth, chairman, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute. Besides, Sheela Krishnaswamy, renowned diet, nutrition and wellness consultant, Dr Brian Pinto, interventional cardiologist, Prof Shashank R Joshi, endocrinologist and president of Indian Academy of Diabetes, Dr Kalpesh Date, paediatrician & neonatologist at SL Raheja Hospital, Niti Desai, consultant nutritionist, Cumballa Hills Hospital attended the convention.