H.E.L.P. conference held at Coimbatore hospital

Health & Environment Leadership Platform (H.E.L.P.) Tamil Nadu Chapter Conference 2026 was held on Saturday (October 24) at Ganga Medical Centre & Hospitals, Coimbatore.

Sustainability has become a buzzword across industries, but it is now the need of the hour—particularly in healthcare, where energy consumption, water use, waste generation and climate-related risks have a direct bearing on responsible and resilient service delivery.

Guided by the theme ‘Strategic Leadership for Sustainable Healthcare’, the conference aimed at encouraging healthcare institutions to move beyond awareness and adopt practical, measurable sustainability initiatives.

Welcome address was by Rama Rajasekaran, director-Ganga Hospitals, president - H.E.L.P Tamil Nadu Chapter. The session included a ceremonial lamp lighting, followed by the inaugural address delivered by Alexander Thomas, chairman of H.E.L.P., Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI). A. Lingiah, medical director- Yashoda Hospitals, regional lead – H.E.L.P South Zone, delivered the special address, highlighting the significance of leadership and collective action in advancing sustainable healthcare.

The speakers included Chandan Khanna, India project manager, Healthcare Without Harm, who spoke on the business case for sustainable healthcare; Vinod, chairperson, Healthcare Engineers Forum and head consultant at VBG Consulting Engineers, Kochi, who spoke on hospital utilities and carbon footprint; Chandran Vinoth Kumar, chairperson, Supply Chain Leaders Forum, CAHO, who spoke on green procurement; Krishna Murthy, director, DAK Healthcare Consultancy, Chennai, who spoke on Green OT challenges and implementation; Vanitha Mohan, chairperson, Pricol Holdings Private Ltd. and managing trustee, Siruthuli, who spoke on water conservation and leadership; Ashwini Dokka, associate counsellor, IGBC- Green Commercial, who spoke on green hospital building standards; and Ramesh Babu, medical director, Dr. Mehta’s Hospital, on climate change, sustainability and quality indicators.

The panel discussion, ‘Sustainability: Boon or Bane?’, featured Vishruth, medical head, TVS Hospitals, Madurai; Gina of the PHFI; Muthu Saravanan, chairman-Muthus hospital; Muthu Saravana Kumar, chairman- Muthus Hospital; and Dr. Lingaiyah, regional lead, H.E.L.P. – South Zone and medical director, Yashoda Group of Hospitals, Hyderabad.