Baridua(Meghalaya), June 26: Northeast India has entered one of medicine’s biggest arenas after a USTM scientist co-authored a major global health study in _The Lancet Infectious Diseases_, a journal with an impact factor of 31.0.
Dr. Yugal Kishore Mohanta, Assistant Professor in Applied Biology at USTM and Senior Collaborator with the Global Burden of Disease Study at Washington University’s IHME, contributed to the paper titled “Global Burden of Enteric Infectious Diseases, Diarrhoeal Diseases, and Corresponding Aetiologies, 1990–2023.”
The study gives the most comprehensive look yet at three decades of diarrhoeal disease burden worldwide, tracking prevalence, deaths, disability, and the pathogens driving illness across countries and regions.
Findings show that despite progress in sanitation and healthcare, diarrhoeal and enteric infections still hit low- and middle-income nations hardest and remain a top public health challenge. The data will help governments and global health bodies design sharper interventions and resource plans.
“Being part of such a globally significant study is both an honour and a responsibility,” Dr. Mohanta said. “The GBD initiative produces evidence that is vital for informed public health decisions.”
USTM Vice Chancellor Prof. G.D. Sharma said the feat highlights the university’s research quality. “This is immense pride for USTM and the entire Northeast,” he said.
The Global Burden of Disease Study, run by IHME, is the world’s most detailed effort to measure disease trends and health outcomes, used by policymakers worldwide.
Founded in 2011 and NAAC ‘A Grade’ accredited, USTM calls the publication a marker of its push for research, innovation, and regional impact.
