Gadchiroli's Malaria Victory
Dr. Digant Amte and Dr. Anagha Amte have been bestowed the esteemed Dr. K. V. Desikan Memorial Award 2026 for their extraordinary contributions to public
health in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district. Their dedicated work has led to a remarkable reduction in cerebral malaria among the region's tribal populations. Following in the footsteps of her parents, Dr. Prakash and Mandakini Amte, who founded the Lok Biradari hospital, Dr. Anagha Amte, initially hesitant about full-time nonprofit work, found her calling during postgraduate studies, deeply moved by the plight of women in remote areas with limited healthcare access. She and her husband, Dr. Digant Amte, now lead the Lok Biradari hospital, continuing the legacy of serving tribal communities. Their initiative, the Community Health Programme launched in 2015, has established six health centers across 26 villages, each serving approximately 1,000 patients annually. A key focus has been training community health workers to provide localized care. Their sustained battle against malaria, which began at the Ashram Shala where many children fell ill seasonally, involved implementing simple yet effective measures like vector control through septic tank netting and weekly chloroquine prophylaxis. This proactive strategy has been so successful that the couple reported zero deaths from cerebral malaria in 2023 and 2024 within the communities they serve. This community-based approach ensures that even during monsoons when villages are cut off, local health workers can diagnose and treat malaria and other ailments at people's doorsteps, preventing critical delays in care.
Nepal's Leprosy Breakthrough
The Dr. K. V. Desikan Memorial Award 2026 also honors Dr. Suwash Baral for his pivotal role in advancing leprosy diagnosis and strengthening health systems in Nepal. Dr. Baral's innovative approach involved establishing indigenous histopathology services, which dramatically shortened diagnostic wait times from a prohibitive four months to a mere four weeks. This significantly improved the speed and efficiency of identifying leprosy cases. His commitment to patient care was particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenging circumstances, he utilized his personal resources to maintain an in-house laboratory, ensuring that thousands of patients continued to receive uninterrupted diagnostic services and care. Dr. Baral's unwavering dedication to achieving zero transmission of leprosy has made early diagnosis accessible, even for individuals residing in the most remote and underserved areas of Nepal. This ensures that timely treatment can be initiated, preventing the progression of the disease and mitigating its debilitating effects, thereby improving the quality of life for numerous individuals.
Award's Significance
Instituted in 2023 by the LEPRA Society, the Dr. K. V. Desikan Memorial Award is a prestigious recognition that celebrates individuals and organizations demonstrating exceptional leadership and making substantial contributions in crucial areas such as infectious diseases, community health, rehabilitation, and laboratory sciences. The award acknowledges the profound impact of the recipients' work, highlighting their dedication to improving public health outcomes and their innovative approaches to addressing critical healthcare challenges. The award ceremony, held as part of LEPRA Society's 37th Foundation Day celebrations, served as a platform to commend these remarkable achievements. For Dr. Anagha and Dr. Digant Amte, the award underscores their decades-long commitment to the welfare of tribal communities in Gadchiroli, building upon the foundational work of Dr. Prakash and Mandakini Amte. Similarly, Dr. Suwash Baral's recognition emphasizes his pioneering efforts in making diagnostic services more accessible and efficient, particularly in resource-limited settings. The award aims to inspire continued innovation and dedication in the fight against prevalent and challenging diseases.
