Editorial November 2009.

Pranaam to all my teachers and all the members of GPA, GB.

Life gave me more than I have asked for and I am what my teachers made me
said the renowned Neuro-Physician, Dr B S Singhal, on receiving the coveted
Dhanvantari Award, conferred upon him by The 38th Dhanvantari Medical
Foundation recently. Dr B S Singhal has been a teacher par excellence since
four decades, he is loved by one and all for his innate gentleness, soft speech,
unassuming nature and undying passion to teach.

Dhanvantari Medical Foundation has been fostering a feeling of cordiality

amongst the practitioners of different systems of medicine, as it’s a fact that
every system of medicine has some good remedies as well as pitfalls and if a
proper scientific evaluation is done a great sense of equanimity amongst
medical practitioners can be attained. The Foundation has been recognising the
immense contribution of medical hero’s of all systems of medicine and
conferring them with this most prestigious and coveted Dhanvantari Award
annually since last 38 years.

Padmashri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan Shri Dr B K Goyal, also the
Founder President of Dhanvantari Medical Foundation said that we must warn
our patients to refrain from some self crowned scientist who have been
advertising cures for every ailments from Diabetes, Heart diseases, Kidney
Diseases, All Cancers, Strokes etc by giving just a small fake medication and he
emphasised that if these quacks were able to cure even one of these a Nobel
Prize would have conferred on Him. One such Scientist who claims cure for all
ailments under the sun without even seeing any reports and giving the same
syrup for every ailment at a fee of Rs 15,000.00 for 3 months, advertising daily
on a major TV Channel is Mr Munir Khan. Is Medical Council of India sleeping or
shying away from this day light medical eyewash or is there a terror group
operating ?

True Courage is not the brutal force of heros, but a firm resolve of virtue and
reason. This was manifested by this tall classified interventional cardiologist and
Dean of Bombay Hospital Dr B K Goyal, The only mother son of this soil who had
the guts to bridge the gap between Indian Medical Association Mumbai Branch
and GPA and has autopiloted the most important educational activities of CMEs
which today are jointly organized and held since last two years at Bombay
Hospital. I wish that IMA and GPA jointly organize their annual conferences too.
Dr B K Goyal also is the only Indian Cardiologist to have been appointed on the
Academic Council of Cardiology at the University of Texas in USA. His immense
contribution to the field of medical teaching, has rightly conferred him the
most prestigious Master Teacher 2009 award by the Association of Physicians of
India. GPA is very proud of this doyen of medical fraternity and congratulates
him for this unique achievement.

In India, Obesity is more seen in women than in men and hence women are more
at serious health hazards and Obesity today also has affected over 30 percent of
children and thus has become a chronic progressive disease of all ages. Though
Bar iatric Surgery seems to be a therapeutic promise, we must warn our aspiring
patients who wish to cure obesity of the mushrooming of fake evolving spas and
clinics. However persistent Diet and Exercise still are the best remedial actions
to retard obesity.

3000 people die every month in Mumbai of stroke, the common reason being
the link of stroke between stress and strain of living in the city said Dr Sangeeta
Ravat Head Neurology Dept of KEM Hospital . To add to this is a sad fact that 90
percent of stroke patients do not reach hospital during the golden period of three
hours said Dr Shirish Hastak Neurologist at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani
Hospital who also lamented to the fact that of the 80 patients admitted at KDA
hospital only five could be salvaged. So The dire need of time is awareness this
was stressed by the all speaking at a symposium held on the World stroke day

Lasers have now been successfully used in performing circumcision said Laser
Surgeon Dr Rusi Bhalla at CME held at PD Hinduja Hospital. He also stressed the
fact that this new technique of treatment is bloodless and free of any
complications.

Todays Family Physicians are updating themselves by all possible means , Like
CME’s Seminars, Conferences, internet, journals etc and have become
enlightened, and these medical messiahs not only cure but heal.

Friends, The family physician today is looked upon as a skilled clinician. They
are skilled at providing information to patients in a manner that respects their
autonomy and empowers them to “take charge” of their own health care and
make decisions in their best interests. They demonstrate an understanding of
patients’ experience of illness (particularly their ideas, feelings, and
expectations) and of the impact of illness on patients’ lives. So a Family
Physician is much more skilled than a Consultant in a hospital who has assistants
to take histories, examine them and also has all the supports like pathlabs,
imaging etc available, trained Nurses and paramedics to administer drugs etc.
The family physician is also a resource to his patients. They can use repeated
contacts with patients to build on the patient-physician relationship and to
promote the healing power of interactions. Over time, the relationship takes on
special importance to patients, their families, and the physician. As a result, the
family physician becomes an advocate for the patient.

Our Great General Practice is splendid and very resourceful to Primary Care
givers too, every day we learn new vagaries of every disease, every drug, every
investigations etc. Its rightly said that Life is a splendid and resourceful beach
to be explored and we gather wisdom there like shells swept by the tide.

Sadness ambushes us, but happiness embraces us. General practice or Primary
care is happiness and being happy to the best of our ability is possible by way of
giving thanks and praise. Lets thank Family Practice and believe me this
happiness shall invite you all into the ice-cream parlour of life, in all its sundae
glory.
Our world has enough for each person’s need but not for his greed. There must
be more to life than having everything. I can say there can be no more love,
service, joy and truth than in being a Family Doctor today.

I slept and dreamed that Family practice was Joy, I woke up and saw that Family
Practice was Duty,

I acted and realized My Duty was My Joy.

With loads of love and light,

Dr Deepak K Jumani

CME at PD Hinduja Hospital for November 2009.

2nd November 2009 Holiday

9th November 2009 Ground Realities of Liver Transplant : by Dr Sudeep Shah & Dr Samir
Shah.

16th November 2009 Oedema Feet Dr F D Dastur. & Dr C K Ponde.

23rd November & 30th November Holiday.