“Today is World Health Day, and the 2026 theme- ‘Together for health. Stand with science’—is a reminder that health is the foundation of how we live, grow, and thrive as a society. Scientific collaboration isn’t just for labs; it’s the shield that protects our families and our future.

I grew up in an Army family. My father was posted in Jammu & Kashmir, and I remember watching a neurosurgeon save a soldier who had taken a bullet to the head. That single moment, in the middle of chaos, stayed with me for years. I knew then—I wanted to become a neurosurgeon.

I trained at NIMS, Hyderabad which is among the top institutes for neurosurgery in India. It was there that I started getting drawn toward the paediatric side of the field. Because with children, you aren’t just treating a patient; you are holding a family’s collective hope. This responsibility led me to become one of the youngest in India to earn a double FRCS (UK) and a fellowship in Pediatric Neurosurgery. Over the years, I’ve operated on hundreds of paediatric cases. But “standing with science” also means fighting the misinformation that shatters lives. Last year, a one-year-old was brought to me at the Continental Hospitals. Born with a spinal defect, his parents had sought help from an unqualified village “doctor” who inserted a needle into the swelling. It caused an infection leading to permanent paralysis. This wasn’t just a medical failure; it was a tragedy for a family that had waited 15 years for this child.

This is the gap we must bridge. While we build super-specialty hospitals, quacks at the grassroots are causing irreversible damage to how our communities live. To fight this, I conduct monthly camps in remote
areas at my own expense, treating children with cerebral palsy and epilepsy. Through my NGO, I work to ensure that birth-related injuries don’t become life sentences for these families.

If social media can spread myths, I’ll use it to spread the truth. On this World Health Day, let’s ensure everyone has access to qualified care. Because when our children are healthy, our entire society thrives.”

• Dr. K.V. Shivanand Reddy