For any developing nation it is imperative to have a healthy population, which in turn, will reduce the economic burden. Commenting on ‘Vision 2022’, FOGSI President Dr. Hema Divakar, said, “A healthy population is vital for the economic health of any nation. About 30% of India's population is in the adolescent age group of 10-19 years and it is estimated that there are almost 331 million adolescents. They represent a resource for the future. FOGSI has resolved to address major health issues affecting the population of the nation, particularly the womenfolk. The Vision 2022 captures our aspirations and goals to make India a vibrant and healthy nation.”
The FOGSI has adopted a multi-pronged approach to tackle 4 different issues – ABCD – Anaemia among adolescent and pregnant women; Building Contraceptive choices; Cancer Cervix and Diabetes. For instance, while 56% of adolescent girls are Anaemic, tackling the health issue can also reduce the Maternal Mortality Ratio. Cancer cervix has reached an alarming proportion among the Indian population while Diabetes has assumed an epidemic proportion in the country.
“We are bringing into practice a Primary Prevention Model, that is, address the root cause of all these problems through innovations. It involves capacity building of the medical and paramedical staff. We have intensified training for obstetricians, gynaecologists, medical officers, primary health care centre staff and ANMs / Staff Nurses across the nation through various programs. We are also in the process of starting DIP (Diabetes in Pregnancy) clinics with the assistance of specialists,” Dr. Hema added.
Several such initiatives launched by the FOGSI will be strengthened through ‘Vision 2022’. “As part of ‘Vision 2022’, FOGSI aims to emphasise how program and technology innovations can be rapidly adopted and Implemented at scale. FOGSI will discuss the best practices that allow unprecedented impact on women’s health care in India,” said Dr. Harshad Sanghvi, Director & Vice-president, Johns Hopkins Program for International Education in Gynecology and Obstetrics.
At the same time, FOGSI envisions to foster a paradigm shift to ensure that the perception towards women changes. For, without a change in perception towards women and girl child, addressing the macro health problems will remain a challenge.
FOGSI is working towards the VISION and hopes that:
(a) Saving the Girl child should become a non-issue by the year 2022.
(b) Education and empowerment of women is a continuous effort, and
(c) Ensure that adolescent healthcare is in place as 360 million youth in India journey towards wellness with through anaemia eradication, sex education, vaccinations, contraception, and HIV/AIDS care
(d) Tackling the tsunami of gestational diabetes and cancer cervix and reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases
Improving health services for women is also part of the ‘Vision 2022’. As a first step in this direction, the FOGSI in association with the Johns Hopkins Program for International Education in Gynecology and Obstetrics (JHPIEGO), launched “Helping Mothers Survive” (HMS) aimed at reducing the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR).
The “TIME with FOGSI” document was unveiled by Dr. Harshad Sanghvi. It is a special issue on “Helping Mothers Survive” and ‘Saving the Girl Child’.
Commending FOGSI initiatives, Dr. H. Sudarshan, Honorary Secretary, Karuna Trust, said, “Ensuring health for all is feasible through public private partnership. The maternal healthcare offered at the Chamarajanagar First Referral Unit (Karnataka) in association with the FOGSI is a role model for the state and is now positioned for a scale up. We hope that the state governments will replicate this model in other regions too.”
About FOGSI
The Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) is the professional organization representing practitioners of obstetrics and gynaecology in India. With 219 member societies and over 27000 individual members spread over the length and breadth of the country, FOGSI is probably one of the largest membership based organizations of specialized professionals. FOGSI came into formal existence in Madras on January 6, 1950 at the sixth All India Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, when the obstetric and gynaecological societies of Ahmedabad, Bengal, Bombay, Madras and Punjab resolved to form themselves into the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India.
www.fogsi.org