Maternal & Child Health

Introduction

All India Institute of Hygiene & Public Health, Kolkata was established in 1932 with four sections, namely – Public Health Administration, Malariology & Rural Hygiene, Vital statistics & Epidemiology and Biochemistry & Nutrition. Soon after the inception of the institute – the Countess of Dufferin Fund, which had been working for the development of medical care of women & children, felt the need of developing and expanding the preventive &promotive aspects in the field of Public Health and accordingly the fifth section of the Institute in the name of “Maternal & Child Health” was created.

The Department of Maternal and Child Health is concerned with Teaching, Training, and Research and for delivery of Services for Mothers, Children and Adolescents within the framework of general and reproductive health services. Emphasis is given on teaching & training for the delivery of health services through integration of preventive, promotive, clinical and managerial skills. Obstetric and Paediatric wards and Adolescent health clinic of the neighbouring Medical Colleges and the Urban and the Rural Health Centres of AIIH&PH, Kolkata are extensively used for the practical / field-based hands-on-training in reproductive and child health, adolescent health and family welfare. The research activities of the department primarily focused on reproductive health, safe motherhood, child growth and development & health problems, adolescent health and various aspects of family welfare.

In 1933, Diploma in Maternity and Child Welfare (DMCW) – postgraduate diploma course was started under “Faculty of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene” to equip women doctors in administrative and other service positions. Later on, in the year 1946 – 47, this post-graduate course was affiliated to University of Calcutta and it was made open to both male & female medical graduates. At present the two-years – post-graduate Diploma in Maternity and Child Welfare (DMCW), a MCI recognized course is affiliated to West Bengal University of Health Sciences (WBUHS). This Post-graduate course equips the medical graduates for administrative, clinical service & teaching positions and also to act as public health specialists and heath care providers in different aspects of Maternal and Child Health / Reproductive and Child Health in Govt. health services, teaching or non-teaching hospitals, health care delivery systems, non- government organizations etc. Since inception, a total of 990 doctors have been trained in DMCW.

Teaching Activities

• Regular Courses Conducted:

• The department is going to introduce shortly a full time regular new post graduate course in the name of M.Sc. in Public Health (MCH) – a two year non-MCI recognised P.G. course for medical graduates. The admission to this new course will begin as soon as the affiliation from the West Bengal University of Health Science is achieved.

Regular Activities

• Teaching and training on MCH/RCH/Family Welfare/related issues imparted to all categories of public health students of all courses of AIIH&PH.
• Providing supervision and guidance in curricular research studies conducted by students of different post graduate courses.
• Supervising/guiding students for the urban and rural field programs like “Family care program” at UHU&TC, Chetla and “Community Diagnosis Program” at RHUTC, Singur.
• Participating in conducting examinations of different PG courses.
• Conducting Family Planning & Gynaecology Clinic (weekly) at UHU & TC, Chetla.
• Conducting Adolescent Health Clinic (fortnightly) at UHU & TC, Chetla.
• The faculty members of this deptt. are involved in a number of different major administrative committees of this Institute.

Faculty

Other Members

Publications

1. N Karmakar, U Pradhan, I Saha, S Ray, R Parthasarathi, R. N Sinha; “Overweight andObesity among Adults in Rural Bengal: A Community-based Cross-sectional Study”,CHRISMED J Health Res 2019;Vol 6/ 1: 23-9.

2. Dasgupta A, Sadhukha S, Bhattacharyya M,An epidemiological study on socio demographic and antenatal factors associated with low birth weight in a tertiary care hospital of Kolkata west Bengal-Journal of Medical Science and Public Health,2019:Vol8(9),753-758.

Research Work

• Dr. A. K. Mallick, acted as a guide to the following curricular research study:

• A Study on Prevalence of Obesity & KAP about Healthy diet among House wives residing at Jadavpur, Kolkata. (M.Sc. Applied Nutrition, session 2017-19).

• Dr. R. N. Sinha, acted as supervisor cum guide to the following curricular research studies:

• Morbidity Pattern and Health Care Seeking Behaviour of Elderly in a Rural Area of West Bengal [MD (Community Medicine) thesis 2017-20].

• A study on Menstrual Hygiene Management Practices among Women of Reproductive Age Group and its Perceived Barriers in a Rural Area of Singur Block of Hooghly District, West Bengal [M.D. Community Medicine) thesis 2018-21].

• An epidemiological study on Prevention and Determinants of Hypertension among Adolescent School Students of Government Higher Secondary Schools in Chetla Area of South Kolkata. (M.P.H. 2018-21).

• Study of Nutritional Status of 3-5 Years Children and Nutrition Related Knowledge of Their Mothers attending Anganwadi Centres and Kindergarten Schools of Sehara Bazar, Purba Bardhaman, West Bengal(M.Sc. App Nutrition).

• Dr. Madhumita Bhattacharyya acted as guide for:

• Short study “A study on knowledge and practices regarding breast feeding among mothers having children aged 6-24 months in a rural community of Birbhum district” M.Sc. (Applied Nutrition 2016-17) – submitted in September 2019.

• Co-guide for thesis on “a cross sectional study of Morbidity Pattern, Health Seeking Behaviour and Health Care Facilities available for Elderly in a Rural Area of West Bengal , India”. MD (Community Medicine) 2017-20.

• Co-guide for thesis on “A study on knowledge, attitude and practice of Male Barbers regarding Blood-Bone Viral Infections and its factors in a Block of West Bengal.” MD (Community Medicine) 2017-20.

• Dr. Asim Sarkar acted as supervisor cum guide for:

• Acted as co-guide of a study on Visual inspection of cervix after application of ascetic acid – by MD Community Medicine student.

Conference/Workshop/Seminars attended

• Dr. A. K. Mallick,

• Attended 46^th National Conference of Indian Association of Preventive & Social Medicine (IAPSM) at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) Shimla during 8^th – 10^th March 2019

• Attended 61^st Annual Conference of West Bengal State chapter of Indian Public health Association(IPHA) at Calcutta Medical College & Hospital on 31/08/19

• Acted as a Moderator in an Workshop on “Primary health care in West Bengal – a people centred Governance” organized by WB Voluntary Health Association.

• Acted as a panellist in the Panel discussion on Zoonotic diseases in the Scientific program organized by AIIH & PH.

• Attended the sensitisation Workshop on Verbal Autopsy at AIIH & PH

• Dr. R. N. Sinha,

• Attended 63rd Annual National Conference of Indian Public Health Association at Rangaraya Medical College, Kakinada, A.P.(01-03 Feb 2019)

• Attended 35th Annual State Conference of Indian Association of Preventive & Social Medicine at North Bengal Medical College (29-30th March 2019) and chaired two scientific sessions on “Prevention of Rabies”and Presentation of previous year’s best research project initiated by Prof. A. Bhandari.

• Attended Verbal Autopsy Training at AIIH & PH, Kolkata held on 03-05-2019.

• Acted as resource person in “Mothers’ Absolute Affection” training programme conducted by MCH Dept. of AIIH & PH ; delivered lecture on Growth Monitoring (15-05-2019)

• Acted as resource person in “Orientation Course on Public Health” conducted by Dept. of PHA of AIIH & PH and conducted sessions on “National Immunisation Programme” (23-07-19) and   RMNCH+ A (26-07-19).

• Acted as Resource person/ delivered lecture on “State Disaster Management Plan: Roles and Responsibilities”, in training programme for District Health Officers on Capacity Building for Management of Public Health Emergencies (AIIH & PH, Kolkata – 21-08-19).

• Acted as resource person and delivered lecture on “Caregivers’ perspectives” in the awareness programme on Alzheimer’s disease conducted by Dept. of PHA of AIIH &PH (19-09-2019).

• Attended as an expert in the 47th meeting of Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) of ICMR –National Institute of Cholera & Enteric Diseases ,Kolkata on 26.9.19

• Dr. Madhumita Bhattacharyya,

• Attended PEDICON (Infectious Disease Chapter) 2019 organized by IAP at Kolkata.

• Attended BIMACON 2019 organized by IMA, Behala Branch, in May 2019.

• Dr Asim Sarkar,

• Attended a workshop on ‘Fire-safety’ at MOHFW, New Delhi at month of March.

Guest Lectures Delivered

• Dr. A. K. Mallick

• Lecture in the work shop on “Capacity Building for analytic Work and Policy Dialogue/ Advocacy” organized by WBVHA, West Bengal

• Delivered lecture in the training course on “Disaster Management for Health sector” for Medical Officers/ Nursing staffs organized by Administrative Training Institute,(ATI), Salt lake, Govt. of West Bengal,

• Delivered lecture in Certificate course in Public Health conducted by the Dept. of PHA

• Dr. R. N. Sinha

• Delivered lecture on – “What is Qualitative Research and How to do it?” as a resource person in programme on “Introduction to Methods and Ethics of Research” held at WBUHS, Kolkata (25-02-19)

• Dr. Madhumita Bhattacharyya,

• Imparted training as state trainer on ‘MAA (Mother’s Absolute Affection) at Sagar Dutta Medical College & Hospital on10th June,2019 for Medical Faculty and nursing staff

• Attended TOT organized by Food & Nutrition Board, GOI on Child Nutrition as trainer for Anganwadi Workers, CDPOs of North Kolkata month of May2019

• Invited as a speaker on Immunity Day about current and update on immunisation at IMA and also at B/N Campus

• Invited as a speaker in seminar for CRPF jawans on nutrition in March 2019

Examiners

• Dr. A. K. Mallick, Director-Professor, acted as

• Paper Setter in DHPE examination 2019 under WBUHS;

• External Examiner, DHPE Examination, 2019 under WBUHS

• External Examiner, M.Sc. Applied nutrition

• External Examiner in Dip-Diet Supplementary Examination 2019under WBUHS.

• Dr. R. N. Sinha, Director- Professor, acted as-

• Paper setter of DHPE Admission Test 2019 of WBUHS (prepared / submitted set of 50 MCQs for the test)

• External Examiner of Calcutta University B.Sc. Pt III (Hons.) – Food & Nutrition Practical Exam at Dept. of Home Science, Kolkata University [15-03-2019].

• Paper Setter of DHPE examination 2019 (Paper I/ Gr –A) of WBUHS

• Examiner (viva voce) of M. Sc. (Applied Nutrition/ 1^st year) of WBUHS at AIIH&PH, Kolkata (September 2019)

• Dr. Madhumita Bhattacharya, acted as-

• External Examiner for the B.Sc, Hons (Human Development) Exam at J D Birla Institute (affiliated by Jadavpur University) in June 2019.

Training received

• Dr. Asim Sarkar attended Training on Purchase Procedure at NIFM, Faridabad (February 2019)

Achievements

• Dr Madhumita Bhattacharyya was selected as evaluator expert as a member of TEC committee of DBT Ministry of science and technology, GOI, and attended meeting in Feb & August2019

Other Activities:

• Prof. R.N. Sinha acted as a member of the Working Group for 76th Round of NSS Survey on ‘Disability, drinking water, sanitation, hygiene & housing condition’.