GMCH module on gender perspective wins top award

Aurangabad: The obstetrics and gynaecology (OBGY) department of Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) Aurangabad and NGO Cehat have won the second position in a national case study competition organised by the Azim Premji University.

The GMCH and Cehat got the award for the module on gender perspective, ‘integrating gender in medical education’, among the 95 entries from across India in different disciplines.

The award, which includes a cash prize of Rs 75,000, was presented to Cehat on April 14, which was handed over to the GMCH on Tuesday.

According to Shrinivas Gadappa, head of the department of OBGY at GMCH, a programme was started at the state-run hospital in 2011 by GMCH, MUHS, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Cehat.

“Previously, we used to treat any disease with its prevalence in male and female and correlate it with the biological sex of the patient. It has, however, been found that not the chromosomal sex but the gender of the patient is responsible for the disease. When you handle cases like delivery and sexual abuse with a gender perspective, the students will understand the root cause and treat it better,” he said.

Gadappa said that apart from the integration of gender in teaching of undergraduate medical students, the clinical practice has been transformed, making it gender informed as well as sensitive to the needs of women.

“The modules prepared as part of the case study have been submitted to the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS), which will implement it all the affiliated colleges after approval.”

Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) director Tatyarao Lahane and GMCH dean Kanan Yelikar lent their support to OBYG the department to carry out the case study and implement the programme.

The steps taken as part of the implementation of the programme in the OBGY department include renaming ‘family planning’ department to ‘comprehensive contraceptive services for all’, introducing the concept of respectful maternity care, establishing medico-legal care for survivors of sexual assault and integrating first line care for pregnant women facing violence.