THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, DELHI

• President, FOGSI, Dr.Bhaskar Pal,

• President, AOGD, Prof. Neena Malhotra,

• Vice-President, AOGD, Prof. Neeta Singh,

• Secretary General, AOGD, Prof. K Aparna Sharma,

• Distinguished guests

The theme, of this year’s conference, “With HER:, Heal, Empower, Respect… Every Step of the Way,” captures the need, for a life-course approach, to women’s healthcare.

Advances in medicine, and technology, are transforming, not only treatment, but also prevention, early diagnosis, and the overall quality, of women’s lives. In this changing landscape, obstetrics, and gynaecology, have a particularly, important role, because women’s health, is closely connected with, the wellbeing of families, and communities.

The work of OB and gynaecologists, extends across the different stages, of a woman’s life—from adolescence, and reproductive health, to pregnancy and childbirth, ageing and other conditions, affecting women. Women’s healthcare, must therefore, go beyond maternal healthcare, and bring together prevention, early diagnosis, clinical care, research, and awareness.

Our Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi ji has said, “Our mothers and sisters, our women power, are the main basis, of the nation’s progress.” This recognition, reminds us that, women’s health is central, to India’s social and economic progress.

When women are healthy, they are better able to, participate in education, employment, entrepreneurship, public life, and nation-building.  Investment in women’s health, is therefore, an investment, in India’s human capital, and future.

India has made, significant progress in maternal, and reproductive healthcare, but challenges remain. Anaemia, high-risk pregnancies, reproductive health concerns, non-communicable diseases, and cancers affecting women, require sustained attention. Disparities in access, and quality of care, also need to be addressed. Equally important, is encouraging women, to seek medical advice, early, rather than waiting, until symptoms, become serious.

Medical professionals, have an important role, in this effort. Clinical excellence, must go together, with communication and awareness. A patient needs, not only the right treatment, but also the confidence, to seek care, understand her condition, and make informed decisions. Doctors are therefore, not only, healthcare providers, but also educators, and trusted sources, of information.

Technology is opening, new possibilities, through artificial intelligence, advanced imaging, telemedicine, digital health records, and data-driven research. These tools, can improve diagnosis, monitoring, efficiency and personalised care, particularly, as India’s digital infrastructure, expands. At the same time, research must remain, rooted in India’s own population, social conditions, and healthcare needs.

Greater collaboration, among hospitals, medical institutions, universities, researchers, and policymakers, can help translate knowledge, into better clinical outcomes. Conferences, such as this, create valuable opportunities, for such exchange. Medicine advances, when discoveries, clinical experiences, and research questions, move across institutions, and disciplines.

For young doctors and postgraduate trainees, this is a time of extraordinary opportunity, and responsibility. Medical knowledge will continue, to evolve, throughout their careers. The ability, to keep learning, question established practices, engage with research, and adapt to new technologies, will remain essential. Alongside scientific competence, medicine also requires, empathy—an understanding of the person, behind the patient.

There is also, a vital public-health dimension, to women’s healthcare. Awareness regarding nutrition, reproductive health, vaccination, cancer screening, and lifestyle-related diseases, must reach women, across all sections of society. Advances in medical science, should translate into better outcomes, for every woman, not only for those who can access, the best facilities.

For Delhi, which is home, to some of India’s leading medical institutions, this responsibility, is particularly significant. The capital, has the opportunity, to serve, not only, as a centre of advanced medical treatment, but also as a centre, of medical research, innovation, training and public-health leadership.

I am confident, that the discussions at this conference, will generate new ideas, strengthen professional collaboration, and help identify practical ways, in which, we can improve, women’s health outcomes.

Thank you.

 Jai Hind.