The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Address gender dimensions of health, medical colleges, teachers told

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Saturday, Mar 04, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Address gender dimensions of health, medical colleges, teachers told

Staff Reporter

Over 9,000 students receive degrees at Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences convocation Over 9,000 students receive degrees at Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences convocation

EIGHTH CONVOCATION: Governor T.N. Chaturvedi (left) exchanging greetings with K. Mohandas, Director of Sree Chitira Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, at the eighth convocation of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, in Bangalore on Friday. Medical Education Minister V.S. Acharya is seen. At right, gold medal winners Khamar Jaha Banu of K.S. Hegde Medical Academy, Mangalore; Raghav A. Murthy of Bangalore Medical College and Sowmya Kaimal of St. John's Medical College at the convocation. — Photos: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

BANGALORE: Medical academia in the country should address gender dimensions of health and implement a modified curriculum, K. Mohandas, Director of Sree Chitira Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, said here on Friday.

Delivering his address at the eighth annual convocation of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), Dr. Mohandas said it is unfortunate that teaching institutions the world over have paid little attention to gender dimensions of health.

"Sree Chitira Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, which is an institution of national importance established by an Act of Parliament, has prepared a modified curriculum to incorporate gender mainstreaming in all subjects of the MBBS course. I hope this training programme will be accepted by the medical academia and effectively implemented across the country," Dr. Mohandas said.

He said social inequalities have a profound adverse effect on health and healthcare delivery.

The most neglected among them is the differential impact of gender on disease and healthcare.

"Admittedly, the impact is more on women. But men are also not immune to it," he said.

Calling upon young doctors to take up the challenge of prevention of diseases, he said: "No matter what our field of specialisation is, our common goal is to help heal the sick through our areas of expertise."

Dr. Mohandas, who is the Chairperson of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, said the assumption that drugs work the same way in all people will soon change and "individual-specific" medicine will be invented.

"Technological developments in the field of medicine have furthered the ability to devise more precise management strategies to deal with congenital and acquired anomalies. There is a possibility of medicine moving to the individual level. The day is not far when we will realise that there are subtle but significant individual variations. This will become a reality as you progress in your practice of medicine," he added.

RGUHS Vice-Chancellor P.S. Prabhakaran said the university will soon sign a memorandum of understanding with the Nursing Council of India and collaborate with the World Health Organisation for the formation of a nursing consortium.

Reiterating that online examinations for theory papers will be introduced soon, Dr. Prabhakaran said EDUSAT will be used to link colleges and transmit lessons.

Over 9,000 students received their degrees in various branches of medicine, dentistry, nursing and physiotherapy. Governor T.N. Chaturvedi and Medical Education Minister V.S. Acharya presented gold medals to students.

Hard work pays

"Hard work and determination has brought this success," said Sowmya Kaimal, who won five gold medals at the convocation.

A student of St. John's Medical College in Bangalore, Dr. Kaimal has secured the highest marks in Pathology and Ophthalmology and highest marks in the MBBS examination among women students.

"I have been a topper from school, and I was determined to pursue a career in medicine right from childhood. I have written the all-India postgraduate entrance test for Psychiatry. I have the privilege of being the only doctor in my family," she told The Hindu .

Raghav A. Murthy, who has bagged three gold medals, aspires to become a cardiothoracic surgeon. "My parents and teachers have been a great source of inspiration for me and I owe my success to them," he said. Dr. Raghav is preparing for the U.S. Medical Licensing Exam.

Khamar Jaha Banu of K.S. Hegde Medical Academy, Mangalore, who has bagged three gold medals, said she did not expect such success. "After the pre-university course, my CET ranking was poor and I never expected to get a rank in the MBBS examination. I have realised that hard work really pays," she added.

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