About Us

Medical profession has always showed concern for ailing humanity, not only in form of providing cure to the sick but also in form of taking effective measures for prevention of disease and infirmity. Physicians have worked to improve nutrition of impoverished families and have supported various legislations that concern health of society; for example they have demanded steps for automobile safety measures, ban on advertisement of tobacco products, warning signals on alcohol, ban on sex determination tests with a gender bias, steps for promotion of healthy environment etc. Mankind has progressed whenever it has lived in peace. Wars have brought about devastation and human misery. Health is most adversely affected in the event of war and violence. Weapons of mass destruction including nuclear, biological and chemical ones have added new dimension to this. History is witness to the unprecedented destruction caused by the atomic bombing by the USA on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. With the present scenario of these weapons medical profession shall have no remedy to offer. As of today there is a serious danger of these weapons falling into the hands of terrorists. Danger of unprecedented damage by accident also can be quite serious. Physicians have realized with deep concern the effect of war and violence on human health. Therefore we have demanded complete elimination of nuclear weapons from earth. It is in this context, that the doctors in India took initiative to form an association of medical professionals, which would work for a peaceful non-violent world free of nuclear weapons and also check on proliferation of small arms. The Hippocratic oath “I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure. I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sounds of mind and body as well as the infirm” acts as a guiding star for the doctors to realize their duty towards society and work for peace, harmony and prevention of war & violence as their moral and professional obligation. Health is dependent on various factors pertaining to nutrition hygiene etc. and is thus responsibility of the society as a whole. Therefore, only a holistic and concerted effort by the society as a whole that can improve the health. ORGANISATION: It is in this context that the Indian Doctors For Peace And Development (IDPD) an affiliate of International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) was established in the year 1984 as National Association of Indian Doctors for Prevention of Nuclear War (NAIDPNW) at its first conference held in Patna. Later its name was changed to Indian Doctors For Peace And Development (IDPD). Several leading medical personalities have headed the organization. Dr K L Wig former Director of the AIIMS was the founder president. Dr.P.N.Chhuttani, Director of Post Graduate Institute for Medical Education and Research (PGI), Chandigarh was 2nd President. Dr Shyamal Sen a leading Neurologist of international fame from Kolkata was 3rd President. Dr C M Habibullah from Hyderabad, a pioneer in the field of Gastroenterology was the next President. Presently Dr L S Chawla founder Vice Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot (Punjab) and also member of Executive Committee and Post Graduate Committee of the Medical Council of India is heading the organization. ACTIVITIES: With the motto ‘Health for All’ IDPD has been in the forefront to organise medical fraternity for this purpose. We have been informing the medical personnel and other sections of society about health consequences of war and violence particularly the nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction through seminars, meetings, audiovisual projections, media reporting, posters, painting competitions etc. IDPD has also actively campaigned against all types of violence like communal violence, caste violence, violence on female sex; We have campaigned for abolition of female foeticide. Promotion of healthy environment has also been an area of activity of the IDPD. We have also actively worked to provide relief during disasters. We have also undertaken health awareness campaigns from to time to time on the issues related to health. CONFERENCES AND SEMINARS: NATONAL CONFERENCES: We have organized its several national conferences at Patna, Hyderabad, Imphal and Delhi. Last national conference was held at Ludhiana on 7th April 2002. SOUTH ASIAN REGIONAL CONFERENCES: We have also organized two South Asian regional conferences and participated in South Asian regional conference of IPPNW at Kathmandu on 25-26 April 2003 as a 53 member delegation.. INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR: An international seminar was organised on 29 Feb 2004 at New Delhi. DIALOGUE WITH DECISION MAKERS: The IPPNW-IDPD delegation met the President of India and several leading political personalities on 1,2 & 3 March 2004 at New Delhi to impress upon them the need to make the region free of nuclear weapons. PARTICIPATION IN THE IPPNW WORLD CONGRESSES: The IDPD activists have been participating in various world congresses of the IPPNW. A 19-member delegation participated 16th world congress of IPPNW at Beijing in September 2004. INDO-PAK DOCTORS MEET: A 24 member delegation of the IDPD went to Karachi to participate in the Joint Symposium of the Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD) and Pakistan Doctors for Peace and Development (PDPD) on 12 December 2004 on Peace and Health. STATE CONFERENCES: Seminars and conferences have been held in several states. COMING EVENT: The 7th National Conference of the IDPD will be held at Hyderabad on 5,6 March 2005 on the theme “Peace And Development Through Health”. HEALTH AWARENESS ACTIVITIES DISASTER MANAGEMENT : The IDPD actively participated in relief measures to the victims during earth quake in Latur and Gujarat and Cyclone in Orissa. SARS AWARENESS CAMPAIGN: Different units of the IDPD organised several meetings to spread awareness about prevention of SARS. AGAINST FEMALE FOETICIDE: We have actively campaigned against this practice. PUBLICATIONS -Printed Cards on the question of female foeticide. -Printed a book on importance of mother’s milk -Printed a book titled ‘South Asia in Quest for Peace and Health’. ORGANISATION Presently we have units/active contacts in 19 states.