Professor Arun Kumarendu Singh Appointed Advisor to West Bengal Health Department

Kolkata, November 10 (Daily Kiran) : Professor Arun Kumarendu Singh, a full-time professor and head of the Pediatrics Department at IIT Kharagpur’s School of Medicine, has been appointed as an advisor to the West Bengal government’s Health and Family Welfare Department. His tenure will last for two years, during which he will primarily focus on enhancing maternal and child health services.

Regarded as the pioneer of Special Newborn Care Units (SNCUs) in India, Professor Singh is recognized as a leading expert in developing modern neonatal healthcare systems in the country. His contributions have been instrumental in providing life-saving health services to underprivileged and needy children.

The “Purulia Model” he developed demonstrates that quality neonatal health services can be offered through decentralized, cost-effective, and humane healthcare systems. This appointment is a significant acknowledgment of the expertise and contributions of a distinguished member of IIT Kharagpur’s medical faculty. It also reflects the growing national role of the institute’s emerging medical school, which aims to integrate medical leadership and technical expertise to create a new model for medical education, health services, and innovation.

Professor Singh has also played a crucial role in establishing frameworks for neonatal and perinatal care, human milk banks, and early intervention facilities. His efforts have redirected the development of modern neonatal health services in India, impacting not only healthcare delivery but also national health policies.

As a prominent technical expert associated with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, he contributed to the development of the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), which aims to identify and provide early treatment for diseases, congenital issues, nutritional deficiencies, and developmental delays in children.

His work related to maternal and child health monitoring, including the Mother and Child Protection Card, reflects his commitment to accessible, preventive, and inclusive health services.

Previously, Professor Singh has held senior academic and medical leadership positions at IPGMER, SSKM Hospital in Kolkata, and AIIMS Jodhpur. Currently, he is leading the comprehensive development of child health, maternal health, and neonatal medical services at IIT Kharagpur.

The West Bengal government emphasized the importance of experienced medical leadership in maternal and child health with Professor Singh’s appointment alongside obstetrician and gynecologist Arup Kumar Majhi as health advisors.

This appointment not only recognizes the high-level expertise present within IIT Kharagpur’s medical school but also opens new opportunities to align the institute’s medical and technical capabilities with the state’s health priorities.

IIT Kharagpur’s Director, Professor Suman Chakraborty, congratulated Professor Singh, stating, “We take pride in having one of the leading experts revolutionizing neonatal health services in India as a full-time professor and head of our medical school. His work has improved access to neonatal health services for vulnerable populations, and his contributions to national child health programs will be long remembered.” He added that being selected for this significant advisory role by the West Bengal government is a fitting recognition of Professor Singh’s outstanding expertise.

Professor Chakraborty expressed, “It is also a matter of pride for IIT Kharagpur to have a member of our medical faculty entrusted with such a critical public health mission.”