Doctors usually say they are so busy that they don’t have time even for their families. Not Geetha Subramanian. A gynaecologist currently based in the U.K., she has done so much work in sexual health education and promoting cultural harmony that the local community has become her extended family. She spoke to Kannal Achuthan on a recent visit to Chennai.
When Geetha Subramanian graduated from Madurai Medical College 20 years ago, she had dreams of improving healthcare for women. The fresh-out-of-college ideals never changed and her pioneering work has earned her the Asian Women of Achievements Award in the U.K. this year.
Challenging issues
“I work with challenging issues such as female circumcision and adolescent sexual health,” says Dr. Subramanian. Her award, the first for a south Indian, commended her efforts to replace fear and superstition with reason.
The gynaecologist has served in several public hospitals that cater to women from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Marriage took her to London, where she trained in obstetrics and gynaecology. She started her work in Tower Hamlets, a London borough with a large underprivileged population.
Hesitant lot
“I found that women and doctors were hesitant to talk about female circumcision, which is a major health risk during child birth. Many women in the Somali community in East London faced the problem,” she recalls.
Dr. Subramanian worked with the London Black Women’s Health Action Project to prevent circumcision. She also developed a ‘sex text’ service through which women could confidentially seek advice and support on sexual health by SMS.
At an invitation from the European Tamil Radio Network, the doctor spoke about various topics related to women’s health. “I studied in a Tamil medium school. My proficiency in Tamil helped me to reach out to a group of South Indian women who wanted information on menstruation, menopause and hormone replacement therapy.”
School projects
Her ability to easily network with young people led her to participate in several school projects. She helped a local primary school develop a policy on sex and relationship education.
Dr. Subramanian also has a passion to help students gain multi-cultural exposure. She organised a grand cultural festival at St. Olave’s Grammar School in London which ended with a feast of Asian food. “We had drums, dances, drama… It was a lot of fun.”
Not one to rest one her laurels, the doctor intends to work on innovative methods to bring healthcare services to more women around the globe.