The Workshop on “Environmental Epidemiology and Cardiovascular Health” was hosted by Amrita Hospital, Kochi, from February 3rd to 6th, 2025. The event was organized in collaboration with the Centre for Chronic Disease Control (CCDC), New Delhi, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (HSPH), USA, Ashoka University, Sonepat, and Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.

The purpose of this workshop is to create knowledge of environmental exposures to cardiovascular health including air pollution, air temperature , green spaces and noise. This workshop will also provide practical training in performing specific epidemiological analysis which is at present available to only a few. Thus this capacity building exercise will help to have a better understanding of environmental exposures affecting cardiovascular health.

The program was inaugurated by Dr. Prem Nair, Provost & Group Medical Director, AIMS, at AIMS, Kochi. Dr. Krishnakumar, Prof and Head of Pediatric Cardiology, welcomed the gathering and emphasized the importance of such a workshop. The event was coordinated by Dr. Aswathy S., Professor & HOD, Community Medicine, AIMS, with Dr. K.R. Thankappan,Prof &HOD,Public Health  also contributing valuable insights.

Experts from CCDC, New Delhi, including Prof. D. Prabhakaran, Director, CCDC, and Prof. Poornima Prabhakaran, Deputy Director, CCDC, presented findings from their studies on the impact of air pollution on the rising incidence of hypertension and diabetes in Delhi and Chennai.

From Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, Dr. Petter Ljungman, Associate Professor, Cardiology and Dr. Massimo Stafoggia, Adjunct Senior Lecturer, led sessions on accurate measurement of PM2.5 levels and the use of mathematical models that consider factors such as wind patterns, breeze, and land use.

As part of this capacity-building initiative, approximately 50 participants from premier institutes across India took part in the workshop.