Hall of Memory

DR. SAROJ SRIVASTAVA
Past President, IMS
2011 - 2012
Founder, Lucknow Chapter
1st November, 1998

Vision

I feel, that we as health providers, should pay attention in contributing our services to those who have crossed midlife. Midlife healthcare has given us an opportunity to reduce mortality and curb morbidity

COMPREHENSIVE GERIATRIC ASSESSMENT, CARE and MANAGEMENT must start from the platform of Indian Menopause Society because life does not end at midlife. Preventive measures must start now so that quality ageing continues with chronological ageing. We are dreaming for Quality, Longevity along with Compression of morbidity so that the miseries of ageing population decrease

Ratio of older persons to younger would increase to 65:35 between 2030 - 2040 as a result of baby boom effect. It is now evident that we have to look forward to geriatrics in a positive manner. You cannot ignore one third of your life span and one sixth of your population. Compression of morbidity should be our aim. Longevity is our destiny, let us age gracefully by utilising our assets - knowledge and wisdom

Many non-medical IMS members usually ask if they can be utilised for a social cause in IMS

In a given Indian family we have realised that younger sister cares for older one in an affectionate dedicated manner. Can we promote and utilize this feeling through a concept "Choti Didi se Badi Didi Tag? IMS through this wing can promote this concept to NGOs and business entrepreneurs. Remember today's Choti Didi will be Badi Didi of tomorrow

SO, I BECAME AN IMSian
In my practice 1 had number of patients of midlife having co-morbidity. Two of my sisters had been facing aftermath related to fractured Hip and I was suffering with knee pain causing limitation of activity

AN IMSian's STORY...
STRIDE I loved my sisters and all those women of midlife who are the actual pillars of the society in which we live. I felt that there was a growing need to keep them healthy so that others in the family could prosper. I must admit that Concept of Universal HRT was the driving force. Remember, it was 1998 when we started Lucknow Chapter and it was 2002 when WHI report caused thunderbolt effect

SUCCESS Not as much as I had dreamt. I, like others, had thought that we have a molecule, a wonder drug, elixir of life by the name Estrogen, which would not only help in increasing longevity but would keep us young and active. Our attitude changed after 2002 WHI reports. We started learning evidence based menopause medicines utilising multidisciplinary approach. I opened 40+ clinics

STRUGGLE I was MS OB GYN, had passed my ECFMG and was offered Residency in OB GYN in Upstate Medical Center NY, but I was pregnant. No moncy, no relatives, and I was 37 weeks pregnant. Within 24 hours of my landing I was admitted in the hospital where the baby was born by ISCS. I told them since I do not have any insurance, therefore, I need to borrow the money from the hospital where both of us (my husband and I) would work and pay off the loan. They agreed

Three months after child birth, I joined the hospital and worked for extra time. Once they asked me to do extra duty for 3 months as they were short of residents. I willingly helped the hospital. 1 kept paying back the loan in installments but appreciating my services they waived off the loan after 1 year. I learnt that self-determination and honesty pay off

MY DREAM IMS
I wish to involve all those non-medical members who care for menopausal health and help ageing women. Concept of providing opportunity to 40+ women to render help to ageing women needs promotion. This is the basis of 'Choti Didi se Badi Didi taq'

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
I am proud to be a devoted and efficient, honest and empathetic medical practitioner who has always tried to be Ethically right and Morally high. According to me, there is no place for casual approach and you cannot afford to be careless in medical practice. You cannot refuse treatment on:
Personal bias
Selfish reasons
You might catch infection while treating
As the patient is very poor
Following are my educational achievements
MBBS and MS OB GYN from MGM Medical College, Indore
DIPLOMATE AMERICAN BOARDS - OB GYN, Upstate Medical Center, USA
FACOG, Syracuse, NY
FICOG, INDIA
FICMCH
PGDMIS (Symbiosis, Pune) LIB (Lucknow)
NCMP North American Credentialed Menopause Practitioner)

PATIENT CARE ... what I added to this
Conducted several educational camps
Distributed awareness handouts
Oreanised several screening and examination camps
Distribated number of CDs having cducational material, related to Physiotheraps and exercises along with diet and nutrition recommendation
Tried to educate women along with Rotart Lion's members and teachers

THAT DECIDING FACTOR. I thought to serve 40+ women

One of my non-medico friends who was good looking started neglecting herself and became unattractive. Husband used to ridicule her. She stopped going out as her knees would hurt. I counselled her, gave her medical check-ups, took her to physiotherapist and yoga teacher, revived her singing and cooking abilities. Her looks improved dramatically with the help of laser treatment (for extra hair growth over face). It was heartening to see that same old person with attractive personality

CHALLENGING ALLEYS..
stumbling stones became stepping stones
Daring. Several years ago before USG had become popular, I encountered an adnexal mass in an 18 year old girl which looked malignant. It was removed totally following guidelines of removing 2 ems of non-cancerous mass. HP was malignant dysgerminoma. She is alive and has two grown-up children
Strong determination
Positive thinker

THE MILESTONE MOMENTS
Visiting old age homes with sweets/food/chocolates and talk to them about their good old days.

SAROJ SRIVASTAVA minus DR.
Needle and crochet work
Reading novels
Travelling to medical conferences and sightseeing

EXTRA MILES... above & beyond the duty
Counselling to those women who are depressed and have lost their confidence To improve diet and nutrition on individual basis, to explain and make them learn about cleanliness, personal hygiene and healthy sexual habits

THE THREE that makes ME'

1. Core Values :

Following dictum of SWITCH ROLES' while treating the patient
Taking total responsibility of patient care
Truthful and empathetic counselling and taking informed consent meticulously

2. Adjectives that describe 'ME' :

Knowledgeable
Competent
Empathetic

3. Success Mantras :

Give peaceful time to the patient and her relatives for honest counselling and informed consent
Case review off and on along with provisional diagnosis and line of management to be proposed after discussion
Check list discipline to be followed. There should be one spokesperson - patients treating doctor