Dr. Sunita Tandulwadkar Installed as 63rd President of FOGSI, Announces Key Health Initiatives for Women

 

Mumbai: In a historic moment during the 67th 'All India Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology' (AICOG 2025) at the Jio World Convention Centre, Dr. Sunita Tandulwadkar, an internationally acclaimed infertility specialist, endoscopic surgeon, and gynecologist, was officially installed as the 63rd President of the 'Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India' (FOGSI).

Dr. Tandulwadkar, known for her significant contributions to women's health, assumed the prestigious position with a strong commitment to addressing critical challenges in the field and improving healthcare accessibility, education, and preventive care for women across India.

In her inaugural speech, Dr. Tandulwadkar emphasized the immense responsibility of leading 'FOGSI', which represents over 46,000 obstetricians and gynecologists across 277 societies in India. “It is both an honor and a responsibility to lead such a significant organization,” she remarked. “Through this role, I have an unparalleled opportunity to launch initiatives that empower women with knowledge and resources, ensuring healthier lives and stronger communities.”

Dr. Tandulwadkar outlined several visionary initiatives under her leadership, focusing on proactive health management and early interventions. Some of these include:

1. Sampoorna - Swastha Janma Abhiyan: This nationwide campaign emphasizes pre-conceptional care to improve pregnancy outcomes and reduce maternal and neonatal mortality. The initiative aims to benefit over 1 million women through health camps and educational drives, addressing key health indicators such as weight, blood pressure, hemoglobin levels, blood sugar, and thyroid function.

2. Know Your Numbers: A transformative health data collection initiative targeting 1 million women across India to gather statistics on critical health indicators like weight, blood pressure, and HbA1C levels. This program aims to identify early signs of chronic diseases, including hypertension, diabetes, and anemia, thereby preventing health complications in 10 lakh women annually.

3. Do Teeke Zindagi Ke: This large-scale project aims to combat cervical cancer by raising awareness about HPV screening and vaccination. The initiative plans to reach 5 million women and girls, with a goal of increasing HPV vaccination rates by 30% in key regions over the next year.

Dr. Tandulwadkar highlighted several pressing health challenges that women in India face:

1. Maternal Health and Mortality: Despite progress, India still faces high maternal mortality rates due to lack of awareness about pre-conception care and inadequate antenatal checkups.
2. Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs): Women in India are at increasing risk of chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and anemia.
3. Cervical Cancer: India has one of the highest rates of cervical cancer globally, with limited awareness about preventive measures like the HPV vaccination.
4. Access to Healthcare: Women in rural and underserved communities often lack access to quality healthcare services, resulting in delayed diagnoses and untreated conditions like PCOS, fibroids, and other reproductive health issues.
5. Reproductive Health Awareness: Many women lack basic education on reproductive health, leading to late diagnoses of conditions such as endometriosis, ovarian cysts, and infertility.

Through these initiatives, Dr. Tandulwadkar aims to create lasting change by empowering women with the knowledge and resources they need to take charge of their health. She emphasized that preventive care and early intervention would be the key to reducing the burden of maternal mortality and non-communicable diseases, which continue to pose a serious challenge to India’s healthcare system.

With her leadership, 'FOGSI' is poised to make significant strides in transforming women’s healthcare across India, ensuring that all women have access to the care they need for healthier and more empowered lives.