HYDERABAD: Dr S. Shantha Kumari, a senior gynaecologist hailing from Telangana state, will take over the post of president of the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Society of India (FOGSI) on June 27.
Dr Kumari will be the first president of the society from both the Telugu states. She has completed her MBBS at Gandhi Medical College and specialised in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Kasturba Medical College in Manipal. She is attached with Yashoda Hospitals in Hyderabad.
She is the 60th president of FOGSI and the event will be held in HICC, Hyderabad. In an interview with this newspaper, Dr Kumari explains the need for gynaecologists to be socially involved in women's issues and a strategic role that they can play.
What efforts made you realise that gynaecologists can be a part of addressing women's issues?
In 2015, I was in the working committee of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics and realised that gynaecologists could play an important role in saying no to violence against women. Gynaecologists are the point of contact for women and their families and we are against any violence on women. It was decided to sensitise the medical fraternity and that is how project Dheera was shaped. It is an ongoing project and we have created awareness through cyclathon, street plays, bikeathon, marches, flash mobs, posters and also used our resources to sensitise families.
How are you looking at your tenure in the ongoing pandemic?
We have collaborated with World Health Organisation, UNICEF and other agencies where the focus will be on respectful abortion care, reducing stillbirth, nutrition and reducing maternal mortality. There are many events which we are planning online and offline keeping the pandemic in mind.
How many women were able to reach out online during this pandemic?
There have been challenges but the hospitals for women are operating 24/7. We are looking at shaping our programmes, keeping the pandemic in mind. Hence there will be online and offline events with the focus on overall improvement of women's health, both medical and social.
