FOGSI undertakes a slew of projects

Rita Dutta - Mumbai

To improve the lack of knowledge and facilities related to obstetric s and gynaecology, the 18,000-strong body of the Federation of Obstretics and Gynaecological Society of India (FOGSI), has unleashed a slew of projects.

In the slums of Dharavi, FOGSI has started the Rs 8 lakh ‘Kishori’ project in association with United Nation International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), NGO-Sneha and Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) covering over 2,000 girls between 15 and 19 years of age.

Said Dr Duru Shah, former chairman of perinatology, FOGSI, who initiated the project, “The girls under this project are educated about various gynaecological problems and afterwards, they would be traced to see whether the education imparted has helped them in leading a better life. This group of girls would be compared with another group of girls from Dharavi, who have not been exposed to education.”

Recently, FOGSI also launched the national programme ‘Vande Mataram Yojana’ on February 9 involving obstetricians and gynaecologists in the private sector to reduce the alarming maternal and infant mortality rate in the country.This programme targets 11 free consultative sessions for women of child-bearing age on the ninth of every month this year to create awareness among them and reduce the maternal and infant mortality rate.

FOGSI also made four one-minute documentaries covering anaemia and pregnancy, how to have a baby, treatment for HIV and breast cancer. The video on HIV stars Ajay Devgan starring and the one on Aids had Aishwarya Rai giving the message. The video was funded by RCH.

In association with Johnson and Johnson, FOGSI is imparting training to students of 6th to 8th standard on various sexual problems. So far, this Rs 12 lakh project has imparted training to more than 1,000 students in various schools. A special programme called ‘Know your body’ has been devised for the students of 9th and 10th standard.

FOGSI is also trying to incorporate Folic Acid enriched food in the diet in pregnant women. “About 50 per cent of abornormalities in caused due to Follic Acid deficiency, which causes spinal problems,” said Dr Shah.

FOGSI is also creating awareness on visiting the gynaecologist on time. According to a sample study conducted in 65 centres over a period of four years covering 5,000 neonatal deaths, 17.5 per cent women were found to visit only after the 7th month (29 weeks), 18 per cent never went to the gynaecologist and 64 per cent went before 7th month.

“Coming late results in poor nutrition and anaemia,” added Dr Shah. Mothers who do not come to the doctor before the 7th month give birth to pre-term babies, who has eight times higher risks of dying, suffers from hypoglycaemia and hypothermia. In the long term, it can manifest in neurological disorder, if the baby weighs less than 1 kg, added Dr Shah.

On an average, it was found that 53 out of every 10,000 deaths occur in India. Kerala registered the best results with only 30 out of every 10,000 deaths, while Bihar witnessed the highest with an alarming 180 out of every 10,000. It has also revealed that education and socio economic status of the patient made a difference in a patient seeing the doctor early.