Bangalore: The Federation of Obstetric & Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI), the apex body for all the Obstetricians & Gynaecologists in the country, today unveiled its landmark ‘Vision 2022’, incorporating long-term initiatives aimed at building a healthy generation and ensuring an overall well-being of women, including better healthcare services and societal perception.
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 who form our resource for the future. FOGSI has resolved to address major health issues affecting the population of the nation, particularly among 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. Talking numbers, 56% of adolescent girls are anaemic; building contraceptive awareness can tackle the issue of Maternal Mortality Ratio; cervical cancer has reached an alarming proportion among the Indian population, and 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.
FOGSI aims at strengthening several such initiatives launched 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 a change in how we perceive women and the girl child. 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- saving the girl child should become a non-issue by the year 2022, education and empowerment of women is a continuous effort, and adolescent healthcare is in place as 360 million youth in India journey towards wellness.
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 unveiled during the meet deals with “Helping Mothers Survive” and ‘Saving the Girl Child’.
Commending FOGSI's 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.”