In addition to the Hippocratic oath, women doctors should take another oath that they would not perform sex determination tests and Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP). "It is a moral sin and don't go for it," said Dr Hari Priya Rangarajan, wife of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Dr C Rangarajan.
Condemning the practice of sex determination tests and foeticide of girl child, the First Lady said if the parents had the right to have sex, they also had the duty to have the child and take care of it, irrespective of the sex of the child. She was speaking as chief guest at the IMA -National Convention of Women Doctors' Forum, in Hyderabad, on Sunday.
Dr Rangarajan said women had a special role to play in the practice of medicine. The biological functions of women were different from that of men and there were certain problems and diseases that were special to women. Women doctors were in a better position to understand their problems that needed special attention.
The spread of HIV is becoming a major concern and unfortunately women were the unsuspecting victims. They must be educated so that they could take adequate care in this regard. Birth control continues to pose certain special problems for women, especially with the recent trends in contraception.
The First Lady said in the last three decades medical science had advanced by leaps and bounds. Developments in medical and healthcare services had done a great deal to reduce the pain and suffering from diseases.
Many surgeries being performed today would not have been possible but for the technological developments. However, despite the advances the battle between medical science and the diseases was continuing. Medical science, she says, is yet to find an answer for the root cause of diseases like cancer.
She asked the doctors to ensure that the benefits of medical science reached all sections of the society. The specialists in the various fields must buy time to attend to poor patients free of cost and also set apart at least 10 % of their earnings for the healthcare needs of the underprivileged. " Our punyakarma will come as a bank balance. This is Madhava seva, manava seva," Dr Rangarajan said.
Dr Kasturi Prameela, chairperson, IMA-National Women's wing, gave a resume of the activities of the Association. It was in the process of creating a awareness among the people about HIV/AIDS and their debilitating effect on women. The Association had been fighting on socially relevant issues like eradication of child marriage, girl child education, girl child labour, female foeticide, female infanticide, dowry deaths etc. The Association was holding conferences and workshops throughout the country highlighting these issues.
State IMA president Dr Nalluri Raghava Rao and Dr P Sreelatha, chairperson, Organising Committee, also addressed the meeting attended by more than 300 delegates from all over the country.
The meeting was followed by two scientific sessions. While the first session covered healthcare problems such as HIV/AIDS, acid peptic disorders in women, hysterectomy etc, the second session discussed women doctors' social responsibilities, focusing on female foeticide, domestic violence, problems of adolescent girls and elderly women, among others. The seminar also discussed medico-legal aspects and issues such as pre-natal sex determination tests.