Our History
We are a small team of talented professionals with a wide range of skills and experience. We love what we do, and we do it with passion. We look forward to working with you.
In the early years of the new millennium, liver and gastro-intestinal ailments were started to be recognized as the global public health issues. During this period, non-alcoholic liver diseases were garnering interest as public health burden globally. In addition to lifestyle disorders, chronic viral hepatitis were coming up as the leading causes of hepatoma and cirrhosis. However, in India, digestive and liver diseases were not considered to be a health priority. In the society, alcohol abuse was linked to liver diseases predominantly. Stigma and misunderstanding with regards to liver disease led to communities ostracizing the patients and families. LIVER FOUNDATION, West Bengal (LFWB), was conceptualized to address this gap between scientific learnings and prevalent perceptions by demystifying science to the society. This not-for-profit society started its journey in 2006 through coordinated efforts of a motivated group comprising of Gastroenterologists, hepatologists, healthcare activists and researchers.
In its early days, LFWB, focused on three pillars–prevention, promotion and protection – of healthcare. Through demystification campaigns, community engagements and advocacy, the organization attempted to infuse a sense of consciousness regarding lifestyle diseases and metabolic health as well as bring an overall behavior change in the way people think about health. The activities were designed carefully to address the scientific queries that can lead to impacting the policy-making and eventually benefit a much larger community.
From the beginning LFWB, was dedicated to create meaningful healthcare impact in the rural fabric of the Indian society. 70% of Indian population is rural and that community has to depend on minimal, and often informal healthcare system. Informal healthcare providers, the first-responders of rural healthcare system, are improperly trained to impart benefits of modern healthcare system to the rural populace. LFWB, took the challenge of building capacity of primary healthcare workers with scientific training in the rural communities. The major objective was to minimize the risky behaviors and improve the referral system to streamline the healthcare delivery.
While continuing its endeavors to strengthen three pillars of healthcare, LFWB recognized the importance of the fourth pillar – curative healthcare. Often considered the pivotal healthcare aspect, curative health is often plagued by non-transparencies. It created a culture leading to expensive and opaque service system beyond the reach of common people. LFWB envisioned a curative care center; endorsing single specialty tertiary care facility that can pave path to a Centre for Excellence. Thus, Indian Institute of Liver & Digestive Sciences (IILDS) was conceptualized and developed. In 2016, built entirely from the donations accumulated, the first of its kind institute in the Eastern India, opened its gate and hearts for the common public. The motto of the hospital –cum- care delivery institute is to “provide the best available healthcare at the most affordable cost”, and “no one is going to be denied healthcare just due to its cost”. IILDS, an initiative of LFWB, has become the mecca for the treatment of liver and digestive diseases in the country. Not only patients are referred here from throughout the Eastern India, but patients from the neighboring countries also receive treatment here. It has emerged as the symbol of alternate health culture and is a model that shows the old system that “international quality healthcare is affordable”.
LFWB is scaling new heights and is on the mission of creating integrated system to address healthcare issues. Its new research endeavor – John C. Martin Center for Research and Innovations – is aimed to create capacities in basic, clinical and public health sciences for the entire community. Simultaneously Chandrakant Institute of Health Sciences is aimed to supplement the dearth of qualified and dedicated paramedical staff necessary for effective healthcare delivery.
Liver Foundation West Bengal (LFWB) has been working tirelessly to put liver and digestive health in the forefront of the public health priorities and it is poised to create a paradigm shift by reinforcing, “Give life a chance”.
All the work done by Liver Foundation in India have inspired the Friends of Liver Foundation Board Members to start this foundation to continue the work and expand the reach and impact.