Ms. Drishya Pathak is a passionate researcher working in the field of public health and environment. With a view to bring a social and ecological impact through her work, she believes that protecting the planet is not one individual’s job, but in fact, should be a way of life for each and every person.

She has worked on various areas within public health like COVID-19, tuberculosis, maternal and child health, and self-care for sexual and reproductive health. With her exceptional expertise in project planning and implementation, she has presented several groundbreaking reports in the area of public health like: Universal Health Coverage Civil Society and Community Consultation, Dissemination of WHO Self-Care Guidelines for vulnerable and key populations, UNAIDS and APCASO Youth Consultation Project on SDGs, BMGF (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation) MERM (Medical Event Reminder Monitor) Deployment for tuberculosis with USAID. She has previously worked with the Nada India Foundation (NIF), which is working on a number of issues to promote health, child and adolescent rights, and a drug-free lifestyle.

She has been a distinguished scholar with a Master’s in Health Management and Research from the International Institute of Health Management and Research and an undergraduate in Microbiology from the University of Delhi. Through her research and writing skills, she has contributed chapters to several books on the subjects of COVID-19 and gender.

Her work is not limited to the health sector as she approaches environmental sciences through a public health lens. She has conducted research on “Leaching of Chemicals (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances and Phthaletes) from Plastic Food Contact Materials into Food” which has been recognized at several international conferences, and she continues to work to study the impact of microplastics, plastic associated toxins on human health. She is currently working on a research project with the Cancún, Quintana Roo-CDMX to study the impact of Sargassum on human health.

As an integral part of the Protect Our Planet team, she is on a mission to inspire the youth across the globe to protect and preserve mother earth. She has recently shared and published her views on how the public healthcare system can offer robust opportunities to incorporate climate change mitigation and adaptation measures — a cause she truly believes in.