Award to encourage original research on women’s mental health by OBGs

Minds United for Health Sciences and Humanity, a NGO also known as Minds United Trust, has instituted an award for original research on women’s health by postgraduate OBG or obstetrician-gynaecologist students.

In a statement here, Minds United Trust, Mysuru, said the recent death of a senior politician’s kin had brought under focus the mental health of women, particularly during the vulnerable postpartum phase.

The Trust has expressed concern over the absence of training in mental health among most OBG consultants. “Most OBG consultants have minimal or no training in mental health and most of them, in their busy practice find it hard identifying or referring it at an appropriate time”.

Hence, in order to encourage OBG practitioners in India to identify psychiatry disorders in day-to-day practice, a book titled ‘Essentials of psychiatry for OBG practitioners’ was brought out with contributions by several distinguished seniors across different faculties, said the statement.

As mentioned in the book that the proceedings from the royalty will be reserved for work in women’s mental health, it had been decided to institute an annual award for OBG postgraduate medical student in Karnataka for original research in women’s mental health.

The submission of the original research in women’s mental health for the Smt. Vimala Kulkarni Award with cash prize, certificate and memento should be before November 30 every year, the statement from Minds United Trust added.