Amit Shah unveils 'HEALD' initiative to combat liver diseases across India

The Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) marked a milestone with the launch of HEALD - Healthy Liver Education and Alcohol-associated Liver Disease Prevention -- a first-of-its-kind nationwide initiative aimed at tackling liver disease in India on the occasion of World Liver Day.

According to an official release, HEALD is envisioned as a multi-sectoral program combining public education, early screening, psychological and medical treatment of alcohol use disorder, and liver disease management.

The initiative helps to tackle the disease through awareness, prevention, rehabilitation, and policy integration.

It also aims to reduce the stigma surrounding alcohol dependence by integrating mental health support, community outreach, and policy reform into liver care.

The initiative is grounded in the principle that "behind every failed liver lies a missed opportunity" -- and HEALD seeks to ensure no such opportunity is lost again.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while unveiling the HEALD initiative and inaugurating India's first Integrated Liver Habilitation (LiHAB) Centre, applauded ILBS for setting a national example in healthcare innovation.

"The HEALD initiative is not just a campaign -- it is a movement to save lives, protect families, and build a healthier India," he said.

He commended ILBS for its leadership in bringing liver disease to the centre of public health and called for replication of this model across states.

Lt Governor VK Saxena termed ILBS "the pride of Delhi," highlighting its role in shaping a liver-safe India and urging greater outreach to underprivileged populations.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta praised ILBS's mission and announced plans to expand ILBS centres across Delhi to ensure equitable access to specialised liver care.

She passionately likened the liver to a mother -- "quietly bearing pain and healing others" -- and stressed the urgency of promoting organ donation as a societal virtue.

Professor SK Sarin, Director of ILBS, reinforced the scientific case for this movement, stating, "Liver health is not separate from public health -- it is at its core. Fatty liver precedes diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. HEALD is our roadmap to a future where prevention is prioritized over cure."

He emphasised the need for primordial and primary prevention through lifestyle education, coupled with advanced treatment for those already affected.

The event was graced by Home Minister Amit Shah, Lt Governor of Delhi VK Saxena, the Chief Minister of Delhi Rekha Gupta, and Health Minister of Delhi Pankaj Kumar Singh.

The event also recognized champions of liver health, including MP Sujeet Kumar for pioneering the Viral Hepatitis (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2025.

A moving audio-visual tribute to liver disease survivors, coupled with the release of educational liver health cartoons from an international contest, added a human and artistic dimension to the awareness efforts.

With the launch of HEALD, ILBS signals a transformational shift in India's health narrative -- from reactive treatment to proactive liver protection, from isolated care to integrated healing, and from stigma to support.