---------- Forwarded message ---------

From: Yusuf, Salim < >

Date: Wed, Dec 14, 2016 at 11:34 AM
Subject: FW: article - Govt move to revive controversial health survey
To: Rajeev Sadanandan < >
Cc: vijayakumar K < >

You probably are aware of this article .

It looks like some mischief makers are still active .

I wonder who the "sources " are ?

I hope the govt will stand firm and support this program which is of obvious good for the state .

Dr. Salim Yusuf, DPhil, FRCPC, FRSC, O.C.

Distinguished University Professor of Medicine, McMaster University
Executive Director, Population Health Research Institute
McMaster University, Hamilton Health Sciences
Chief Scientist, Hamilton Health Sciences
Heart and Stroke Foundation/Marion W. Burke Chair in Cardiovascular Disease
President, World Heart Federation
Tel:
Fax:

From: McGuire, Veronica [ ]

Sent: December 13, 2016 9:56 AM
To: Yusuf, Salim
Subject: article - Govt move to revive controversial health survey

https://global.factiva.com/FactivaLogos/niexprLogo.gif
Govt move to revive controversial health survey
513 words
13 December 2016
New Indian Express
NIEXPR
English
(C)2016 The New Indian Express Group
Govt move to revive controversial health survey

Prabhat Nair

T’Puram A health survey which was stalled by the Left when it was in the
Opposition on the grounds that it was a clandestine attempt to help a Canadian
firm to get details about lifestyle and health of the people of Kerala is allegedly
being revived by the LDF Government. Based on the same model of the Kerala
Health Observatory And Basic Surveillance Project that was shelved earlier, the
Left Government has now come up with an Epidemiological Study to compile data
base on mortality, morbidity, risk factors and health behaviour of the people. The
LDF had in 2012-13 opposed the survey inside and outside Assembly accusing the
UDF of conducting dangerous drug trials on people in collaboration with
the Canadian Government and providing the foreign country details about the lifestyle
and health of the people of Kerala. The survey is now being taken up with the
technical support of the same group that was involved in the earlier Survey,
especially the Population Health Research Institute (PHRI) of McMaster University,
Canada. PHRI’s involvement was controversial in 2012-13 when the then
Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan alleged that the UDF was gifting Canada
and sharing with PHRI details of the people. The same PHRI is now involved in
developing software for the survey and evaluation of data collected from 10 lakh
people. Confirming this, Dr Bipin Gopal, who is nodal officer of the Surveillance,
told Express: “The PHRI was involved as expertise for developing the software for
analysing the high volume of data is not available with the State or the country.”
However, sources said that this argument is being raised when there exists
institutions like the Indian Council of Medical Research and National Institute of
Epidemiology. When asked if any agreement was signed with PHRI for this, he
said there was no need for it as an accord was signed in 2012, which is still in
vogue. However, the question of how an agreement of a project shelved earlier is
still in vogue remains to be answered, sources said. Agreeing that the present
survey is based on the same model as that of the earlier one, Gopal claimed that
the government was completely doing it and academic groups were only
supporting it technically. Apart from the DHS and DME, the other stakeholders
are PHRI and Health Action By people, an NGO. Despite the government stating
that data will be stored in the State Data Centre and the criteria for its availability
will be decided, doubts have been raised about its manipulation. According to
Gopal, Health Secretary or the Core group, which is the stakeholder, will be
authorised to give permission for data availability. Moreover, Gopal said PHRI
executive director Dr Salim Yusuf was involved in the project from the beginning.
“Even from the first meeting with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Health Minister
K K Shylaja, he was there,” he said. This is where Achuthanandan’s earlier
allegation becomes relevant, the sources said.
Express Publications (Madurai) Limited

Document NIEXPR0020161213eccd0003m

Veronica McGuire
Media Relations, Faculty of Health Sciences,
McMaster University
From: Rajeev Sadanandan [ ]
Sent: December 18, 2016 1:40 AM
To: Yusuf, Salim
Subject: Re: Situation re KIRAN?

Dear Dr. Salim,

There are some objections raised in the party forum, which is the final decision making
body for the communists above minister and CM. Could go bad. They are beyond my
reach. We are making efforts to influence the process.

This is an unexpected development. Will keep you posted.

Which number can I call you on?

Regards,

Rajeev

Sent from my iPhone

On 17-Dec-2016, at 9:56 PM, Yusuf, Salim < > wrote:

Dear Rajeev

I briefly spoke to Vijayakumar today and he expressed some uncertainty re the

epidemiologic survey after the Indian express article .

I hope that there will not be any serious obstacles and that you , along with the
Health minister and the CM can overcome any potential challenges ..

I am in Kochi until the 28th and it will be helpful to know where we stand , once you
clarify the situation .

best wishes

Dr. Salim Yusuf, DPhil, FRCPC, FRSC, O.C.

Distinguished University Professor of Medicine, McMaster University
Executive Director, Population Health Research Institute
McMaster University, Hamilton Health Sciences
Chief Scientist, Hamilton Health Sciences
Heart and Stroke Foundation/Marion W. Burke Chair in Cardiovascular Disease
 President, World Heart Federation
Tel:
Fax:

https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2017/nov/07/state-govts-plan-to-
engage-canadian-ngo-for-health-survey-kicks-up-a-controversy-1694014.html