Workshop
was held on 9th Jan, 2015 in SIHS auditorium. It began at 9am with
student anchors of MBA – HHM 1st year welcoming the speakers and the
faculty felicitating the dignitaries.
Brig.
Pandit gave a small introduction on how communication is important in
healthcare followed by the 1st speaker – Ms Prasanna Hulikavi,
Deputy director at SIMC. She was extremely interactive, a very pleasing
personality who taught us about Behaviour change communication, community
mobilisation and advocacy negotiation through a presentation and some videos.
She
started with interacting with students by asking them if they follow safe
sexual practices, by using contraceptive barriers. She mentioned about ‘ Saheli project’, that
was started long back where in the ladies took the responsibility on their
shoulders to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and promoted the use
condoms. Even the female sex workers sold condoms to men before indulging into
any such practice. A video called – ‘Jo bola wahi sikandar’ was shown which
inspired men to be bold and ask for condoms.
She
also stated use of tobacco by women in various parts of rural India which is
indirectly consumed by infants as these women while cooking, transfer small
particles of tobacco that are left in their hands.
She
also expressed the need of right knowledge, attitude, and cultural practices to
make any change possible.
Further
she showed us a video sponsored by Govt of India to create awareness about
menstrual cycles – the myths, problems girls face and explained how and why
hygiene is an important esp during these days.
Another
very innovative and touching video we saw, made by life boy company, was about
how important it is to wash hands which can cut down infections like diarrhoea
up to 70% and can increase our life expectancy.
The
next topic of discussion was behaviour changes – its determinants and steps
involved. And lastly she showed another touching video about cancer survival.
And
lastly she concluded with a quote – ‘make a change when you are in power to
make that change- make it happen!!!’
In the second session Dr Dilip Padgaonkar, consulting editor with Times of India and
member of board of management at SIU addressed us about role of media in
healthcare.
The
usual health blogs include – medical breakthroughs, medical malpractices,
fitness and dieting and a little about epidemics. He gave the insight about print
media that contains half-truth and rest is all lie.
There
ain’t enough journalists to cover issues about public health and neither there
are enough professionals to write and talk about public health and it is
extremely difficult if not impossible to find such professionals. There aint
any informed websites of public health either.
He
gave us an overall picture which was certainly not very bright but the good
fact here was that there is a growing awareness about health and better health
coverage amongst media unlike earlier.
Initiatives
like ‘Swacch bharat abhyan’ were pointed where the Indian Prime minister has
appointed brand ambassadors to help create awareness.
Also
he pointed that along with daily sensex, it is equally important to view our
HDI (human development index), where India lies much below the African
countries.
While
concluding, he told us that there is a lot of scope for improvement. We as
citizens of India need to be ‘media literate’. We need to form a healthy,
knowledgeable and active workforce to bring in the change.
The
3rd lecture started at 12pm where Mrs Chritine D Patham, an expert
at various fields of training including behavioural, communication, attitudinal
and leadership training programmes,- addressed us on ‘empathic communication
and cognitive empathy’. These are indeed big words, but very easily she
simplified these for us. She started with explaining the meaning about empathic
communication, its role in healthcare and the need and skills required to be
empathic.
She
supported her statements by showing us various videos, one of which explained
that the grass is always green on the other side. When you actually step into
the shoes of others, you understand the life is not very easy for anyone. The 2nd
video was on perception (once of the skills required to become empathic) that
explained how ones thoughts drive their feelings and how feelings drive your
thoughts.
Video
3 was a very touching video about how can one manage his or her professional
and personal life. How can you handle what you encounter daily and still not
let it affect your caregiving at home.
Then
she talked about ‘cognitive and compassionate empathy’, and the do’s and don’ts
of the same and how to we associate with empathy.
Lastly
she concluded with telling us that amongst all the feelings, we should put
compassion, gratitude and kindness under the microscope of life and do a deed
of kindness daily.
Dr
Divya Nayyar
Academic
committee
MBA - HHM 14-16
