The seminar was organized with the objective of spreading awareness regarding prevention and management of birth defects. Dr.Neelam Aggarwal, Professor, Department of OBG, PGIMER was Organising Secretary of this Seminar. Dr. Amarjeet Singh, Professor, Department of Community Medicine, PGIMER and Dr. Alka, Research Scholar, Centre for Public Health Panjab University were Convener and Co-convener of the seminar respectively. This seminar was linked with and based on Dr Alka’s PhD thesis work. A booklet has been developed by her in English and Hindi as an information material for GENERAL PUBLIC to facilitate prevention and management of birth defects. This booklet would help those who are planning pregnancy and have a family history of birth defects or a previous history of multiple abortion or still birth. Booklet was released by Ex-HOD, Dr. Lakhbir Dhaliwal, OBG Department, PGI, Chandigarh.
Experts from PGIMER, Panjab University etc. shared their experiences. Dr.Shobhna from VMMC, Safdarjung, Dr.Inusha Panigrahi from Advanced Pediatrics centre, PGI shared their experiences regarding problems faced by parents having children with birth defects. Mrs. Bhwana Tyal, Director, Sadhna Society vocational training institute for mentally handicapped shared her experiences with Special Children. This was followed by performances by special children from Sadhna Society. Approximately 100 participants from OBG department, School of Public Health, and NINE, PGIMER, Centre for Public Health, Panjab University, Chitkara Nursing College, Rayat Bahara Nursing College, Sadhna Society NGO, Chandigarh etc. attended the seminar. Lectures were followed by interactive discussion with the audience.
A special feature of the seminar was a presentation by Dr Meghna Sharma and Mr Siddharth Angrish, from www.Jiyyo.com. They highlighted how an app based e-referral can facilitate diagnosis, early detection and management of congenital disorders and genetic diseases. Dr Risha presented an interesting quiz on this subject to the audience, for which prizes were given.
