Dear Friends

The December issue of the AOGD Bulletin addresses insights into ‘Gynecologic Oncology’. Looking at statistics in India, 67,000 mothers die as a result of childbirth while 74,000 women succumb to cancer cervix every year. Yet a lot is done to reduce maternal mortality while spending on cancer cervix takes a back seat. I agree that young mothers cannot die, but women, dying of cancer cervix, are also in the prime of their lives (around 40 years), a stage when her family needs her the most. I hope policy change and intense lobbying both by health professionals and women, demanding screening and vaccination, will bring about a decrease in the numbers of this very dreaded disease. If 2000 gynecologists of AOGD screen 500 women a year (which is not difficult) a million women will be protected! At the same time it will give an opportunity to address other health issues and also do a pelvic examination and clinical examination of the breast.

Palliative care management and hospice care are generally a neglected part of cancer care and there is an urgent need to provide terminally ill women a dignity in death, free of pain, at an affordable cost in a resource-strapped setting. Corporates, NGO’s, governments, cancer hospitals etc should form forward and take on the responsibility of this important aspect. Also awareness on simple measures in a home setting will go a long way. Newer concepts in radical hysterectomy, fertility sparing surgeries in cancer, screening guidelines are other interesting articles which make good reading and are useful.

Please note that the next clinical meeting, for the first time, is being held at ESI hospital, Basaidarapur on the 30th December, 2011. All members are invited for this inaugural edition! In January & February on account of AICOG in Varanasi and AOGD Workshops 2012 (Feb 25th 2011), the clinical meeting at Sir Ganga Ram and afdarjang hospitals will be held on the third Friday of the month i.e, 20th Jan and 17th February respectively.

By the time the January issue reaches you it will be 2012, so wishing all of you a happy holiday season and a very Happy New Year! Hope 2012 brings you all peace, prosperity & health!

Shalini Rajaram Hon Secretary AOGD