BOKARO: Obstetricians and gynecologists in Bihar and Jharkhand are preparing themselves to play additional roles of social activists. Doctors have decided to raise their voice against domestic violence suffered by their women patients, especially during their pregnancies.
Soon the walls outside labour rooms and cabins of gynecologists will witness posters shouting, “Domestic violence is a punishable offense” and displaying other information to increase their awareness. Gynecologists have also decided to counsel husbands of patients who complain of violence.
The doctors discussing have decided to become primary care physicians for pregnant patients and deal with their mental, physical and social problems. Spurt in incidents of violence on patients mostly during their pregnancies have prompted doctors to play a social role for the safety of women.
The secretaries and heads of nine associations of Bihar and Jharkhand, which formed Association of Obstetrics and Gynecologists Society of Bihar and Jharkhand (AOGSBJ), expressed concern over the rise in domestic violence among pregnant women at the workshop held in Bokaro General Hospital (BGH) on Saturday. The workshop, which was organized by the Bokaro Obstetrics and Gynecologists Society, witnessed participation of renowned gynecologists Rajesh Modi from Maharashtra, A K Debdas, Rangila Sinha, Anju Parira, Roopam Singh and Arti Shukla among others.
Sinha, who is the founder president of AOGSBJ, said that out of 100 pregnant women, about 20 per cent of them become victims of violence by their husbands and in-laws. They have come across several shocking incidents of violence with patients during their pregnancies. “We can’t just keep quite after knowing their problems. Women becoming victims of violence during pregnancies and hence we have decided to help them. We are thus asking doctors from across Bihar and Jharkhand to join hands in the fight against violence on women patients,” said Sinha.
There are many reasons why women during pregnancies get tortured by their husbands. The main cause is refusal to have sex, their lesser participation in household work, demand for male child by husbands and drinking habits of husbands. To solve the problem, they are advising doctors to counsel husbands of those patients who complained of being tortured. “During counselling, we make husbands understand the condition of their wives during pregnancy and the ill effects of torture on them. We are sensitizing gynecologists to come forward to tackle the problem since doctors are the persons in whom patients have immense faith. We are encouraging doctors for the noble cause,” said Sinha.
Besides, doctors also expressed concern over the rise in maternal mortality rates in various parts of the country and the desired effective steps to control it. Meanwhile, gynecologists also had a lesson on advanced laproscopic procedures adopted in treating gynecological problems.
Modi, after briefing the technique, acquainted doctors about its benefits in saving blood loss, time and medical cost. Modi said a patient who underwent laproscopic surgery, could get released within a day or two. He said that presently there are about 2,500 gynecologists in the country, out of which only 10 per cent are practising laparoscopic surgery. In Jharkhand, about 30 doctors are well versed with the procedure.
Read more: Doctors turn social activists for tortured women – The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/Doctors-turn-social-activists-for-tortured-women/articleshow/7130039.cms#ixzz18gagiQKb