Genesis

The Asian Institute of Public Health is the first of its kind center for public health research and training in the state of Odisha, a state in the east coast of India, not only known for its ancient heritage and vibrant culture, but also for its natural beauty as well as calamities. Along with challenges of economic development, the state faces serious health problems with large infant and maternal mortality rates among other poor performing indicators. Although in recent times there have been tremendous efforts by the government and non-governmental agencies to fill the perceived and identified gaps, there appears a serious need of trained manpower to design, implement and evaluate better health policies and programmes. AIPH was launched to fill this dire need to serve not only the state of Odisha but also other areas within and outside the country where public health capacity building is a priority. The mandate of the institution is to establish an excellent platform for public health education and research with continuous efforts towards creating solutions to local health problems while learning the lessons from innovations across the globe.

Goals
- Cater to local public health needs and prepare a skilled workforce to meet future challenges.
- Provide necessary technical support to Indian states, Asian countries, NGOs, and foundations in the areas of public health education, research, and service.
- Help shape health policies via evidence-based research.
- Contribute to the design and monitoring of national programs and foster collaboration among neighboring Indian states.

AIPH emerged from the needs felt and the enormous insights gained by the physicians and public health researchers working in India over the last decade. Starting with investigating causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality with sophisticated laboratory facilities and nationwide network support for research, the team went on to experiment on reduction of newborn death through large scale community based intervention trials in rural Odisha. Today experts from diverse backgrounds work not only in areas of child health, but also maternal health, infectious diseases, chronic diseases and use of informatics in community's health. Also, collaboration and support offered by the State Government of Orissa and major US universities have made a project of this magnitude feasible. Honorable Chief Minister of Orissa, Mr. Naveen Patnaik, formally inaugurated the institute in 2008 when it opened its door with specialized courses and skilled research platforms. AIPH is now poised to provide the much needed public health education and service to Orissa, other Indian states, foundations and organizations having similar mission in India and Asia.