NAHARLAGUN, Sep 4: The Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS), in collaboration with AIIMS Guwahati, organised a two-day training programme on systematic review, meta-analysis, GRADE-based guideline development and Health Technology Assessment (HTA) at TRIHMS, Naharlagun, on September 3 and 4.
The programme was organised by the Department of Multidisciplinary Research Unit (MRU) and Department of Pharmacology, TRIHMS, in collaboration with the Technical Resource Centre (TRC), DHR Centre for Evidence Based Guidelines, AIIMS Guwahati. It was funded by the Department of Health Research (DHR), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt of India.
The training aimed to strengthen research capacity and promote evidence-based healthcare and decision-making in Arunachal Pradesh. Participants were trained in systematic review methodology, literature searching, protocol preparation, study screening, data extraction, risk-of-bias assessment, meta-analysis, GRADE methodology and HTA.
The programme was inaugurated by Dr Hage Ambing, Director of Medical Education, Training & Research, in the presence of Dr Naba Kumar Bezbarauh, Dean-cum-Director, TRIHMS; Dr Phulen Sarma of AIIMS Guwahati; and Dr Nabam Peter, Nodal Officer, Research & MRU, TRIHMS.
Dr Ambing encouraged the participants to undertake research addressing the specific healthcare needs of the state, while Dr Bezbarauh emphasised the importance of conducting high-quality research to improve healthcare outcomes.
The scientific sessions were conducted by experts including Dr Chanchal Goyal of the Department of Health Research, Dr Kapish Gupta of IIT Guwahati and Dr Nima D Namsa of Tezpur University. The AIIMS Guwahati TRC team was led by Dr Phulen Sarma and Dr Anusuya Bhattacharyya, along with Dr Surender G, Dr Rajkumari Mazumdar and Dr Anutee Dolley.
As many as 37 participants, including faculty members from TRIHMS, Rajiv Gandhi University, the State Health Agency and the Directorate of Health Services, took part in the workshop.
The organisers said the initiative would help build local capacity in generating and appraising health evidence, paving the way for region-specific healthcare recommendations, evidence-based guidelines, HTA and more informed health policy decisions in Arunachal Pradesh and the wider Northeast.