I had an absolutely wonderful day today. Classes started, they were so interesting, the doctors had my full undivided attention. We started with a tour of PHRI, we were given information about what services they provide and the research they conduct. PHRI focuses on testing women for cervical cancer as well as testing women and children for HIV. They believe women are the backbone of the family and I couldn’t agree more. All of their services are free, which came as a shock to me, they also travel to rural areas and set up medical camps for women. After lunch we had a lecture with Dr. Indiro on health problems in India. She stressed that health care in India is based on gender, economics, and politics. She spoke about rural areas and the distances people have to travel to get to a hospital. One thing Dr. Indiro mentioned, that had never occurred to me, was the word usage in hospitals. How the word patient is desensitizing and makes a person feel powerless, giving the doctor total control. Overall it was a very educational day.
Best,
Caileigh