Chandigarh, February 21
National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS) Cell has been established at the Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh. The NAMS Cell will serve as a regional academic hub to strengthen research excellence, promote evidence-informed policymaking, and enhance collaboration among medical and public health institutions across Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Chandigarh.
Prof. Dr. Sonu Goel has been appointed as the State Convener for Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Chandigarh by the National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS). The appointment recognises his distinguished academic leadership and long-standing contributions to medical education, especially policy translation, and capacity building in India and globally.
The National Academy of Medical Sciences (India) is a nodal agency of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, for promoting medical education and strengthening the capacity of healthcare professionals across India. It also advises medical institutes in the country and policy-makers on advancing all spheres of healthcare education and research in line with the National Health Priorities.
Prof. Dr. Goel is a Professor at the Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, PGIMER Chandigarh, and has dedicated over 25 years of his academic career to the science and practice of tobacco control, generating rigorous evidence and translating it into public health action. He also holds adjunct faculty positions at the University of Limerick, Ireland, and Swansea University, United Kingdom. He serves as Director of the WHO Director-General Awardee Resource Centre for Tobacco Control (RCTC), a global hub for knowledge generation and technical assistance, and is the Course Director of the International Public Health Management Development Program (IPHMDP), supported by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, through which more than 1,600 health professionals from 97 countries have been trained.
In addition, Prof. Dr. Goel is convenor of the Scientific Support Group of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, which aims at strengthening four National Tobacco Testing Laboratories; leads the NAMS Task Force on Tobacco Control; heads the MPOWER Research Group of The Union; serves as Country Coordinator (India) for the South Asian Regional Consortium Centre for Capacity Building in Tobacco Control (SARC-CCT); and is a member of WHO FCTC GATC Expert Group 2.1.
As State Convener, Prof. Dr. Goel will lead efforts to strengthen NAMS activities across the three regions, foster inter-institutional collaboration, mentor early- and mid-career researchers, promote ethical and impactful research, and facilitate dialogue between academia and policymakers to address priority public health challenges.
