India launches HEALD initiative to fight liver disease, Amit Shah unveils LiHAB centre

New Delhi: On the occasion of World Liver Day, the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) marked a historic 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 the rising burden of liver disease in India through awareness, prevention, rehabilitation, and policy integration. The event was graced by Honble Home Minister of India Shri Amit Shah, Honble Lt Governor of Delhi Shri VK Saxena, the Chief Minister of Delhi Smt Rekha Gupta, health minister of Delhi Sh Pankaj Kumar Singh,

Union Home Minister Shri 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 center of public health and called for replication of this model across states. (A detailed version of the Hon’ble Ministers speech is available here: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=2122904&reg=3&lang=1)

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. 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.

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Lt. Governor Shri V.K. 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 Smt. Rekha Gupta, while praising the mission of ILBS, announced plans to expand ILBS centers across Delhi to ensure equitable access to specialized 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.

Prof. S.K. 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 emphasized the need for primordial and primary prevention through lifestyle education, coupled with advanced treatment for those already affected.

The event also recognized champions of liver health, including MP Shri 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. The message is clear: the time to heal India’s liver is now.