Dr. Duru Shah, a veteran Gynecologist and Fertility Specialist from Mumbai, has had an exhilarating journey as a doctor mar ked with academic milestones, global recognitions and a lifetime spent in dispelling dangerous myths and reinforcing health messages.
Dr. Duru Shah, has been the first and only Indian to be honoured with the prestigious “Distinguished Merit Award for service towards women’s health” at the Opening Ceremony of the World Conference by the International Federation of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (FIGO) Rome in October 2012. This honor was bestowed upon her for her relentless work in educating and impacting the lives of common Indian women.
Over a period of 10 years, from the year 2001 onwards, Dr. Shah led a nationwide “Growing up” Program under the banner of The Federation of Obstetric & Gynecological Societies of India (FOGSI) with about 1000 FOGSI members who were appraised on the content, she and her team educated more than 8 million girls and boys in India on Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health (ARSH). Growing up was a significant movement at a point of time in the country when matters on Adolescent, Reproductive and Sexual Health were not openly discussed in schools or even between parents and children. This effective movement created an impact that changed the perception of a generation of girls who grew up to be more aware and as informed mothers of tomorrow. For the first time in their lives, these girls asked questions that they never could ask anyone before.
Dr Shah also set up the Kishori Program a “Youth Friendly Center” under the banner of FOGSI in collaboration with Unicef and Sion Hospital. This was set up in Dharavi which impacted and empowered the lives of over 20,000 young girls over a period of 8 years. The Program was not just awareness on their reproductive and sexual health, but giving these young girls a voice. In addition to the information on reproductive and sexual health, and gender violence, they were trained to develop skills to support themselves towards economic independence. It was a home away from home for these young girls!.
She participated in a WHO Program and accredited herself as a Master Trainer for Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health (ARSH). Following her training, she trained many colleagues at FOGSI to spread the knowledge all over the country. Dr. Shah had knocked on the doors of the Central Government in Delhi, worked along with Global organizations such as WHO, UNFPA and UNICEF, and campaigned with the Ministry of Health, for Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health (ARSH) information to be imparted to all in schools. Her efforts resulted in success as the Health Ministry made it mandatory for it to be included in school textbooks in India in 2007.
As President of FOGSI in 2006, Dr. Duru Shah was concerned about the high maternal mortality rate especially in rural India, hence initiated the Suprabha Ganga Yatra programme. This walkathon along the River Ganges, the first of its kind, spanned 2400 kilometres and involved thousands of doctors from FOGSI, led by Dr. Duru Shah and Dr. Shirin Venkat and Yuva volunteers from Yuva Kendra of Government of India. Besides creating mass awareness, on maternal and adolescent health, this program collected data from 1 million women from the most backward parts of the country. The one single need of all these women was access to sterilization facilities in their villages, because they were tired bearing and raising children. The adolescents were vaccinated with the Rubella Vaccine and educated on their reproductive health. The Yatra took over 3 months, covered hundreds of small towns and villages in the five states which record the highest maternal mortality rates in India. Following this, from the finances generated through voluntary donations from many sources, 40 villages in Bihar and UP were adopted for the next 2 years. Here she and her team from FOGSI conducted camps in collaboration with Tatas, examined more than 100 pregnant women every month in every state and convinced the high risk patients to go to Government hospitals for delivery, rather than in their homes in the villages.
During her Presidential year at FOGSI Dr. Shah wanted to create a bonding between all the FOGSI members. She gave a new look to the FOGSI Logo, created for the first time the FOGSI Flag, and created a FOGSI song called “The Spirit of FOGSI” written specially for FOGSI members by Mr. Javed Akhtar and available on “You Tube”. This song inspired the 28000 members of FOGSI and encouraged them to offer even better care to maternal health. In 2006, with a powerful vision to reach out to the masses, Dr. Shah took upon herself to enlist the support of celebrities to spread critical public awareness on social issues such as female feticide, gender violence, transmission of HIV from mother to child, combating Anemia in pregnancy and early detection of Breast Cancer. Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, Mrs. Jaya Bachchan, Ms. Aishwarya Rai and Mr Ajay Devgan came forward to support Dr Shah in her mission to spread awareness. Many TV channels broadcasted these messages that reached out to over 20 million households! Unfortunately, Social Media was not available then or it would have gone viral ! She also created a film on Gender Violence called “Body and Soul” to create awareness of sexual abuse amongst Gynecologists, to examine the victims carefully and document their findings well. This would allow the victims to get justice, which is denied to them in court only because doctors were not careful whilst documenting their findings
As Chair of the Indian College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (ICOG) between 2009-2011 , she convinced the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) that the latest updates of gynecology were not reaching the rural areas of the country which was needed for better health of women in those regions. Dr. Shah built a model that connected 70 Medical Colleges with “Edusat”, through satellite stations of ISRO for 3 years, totally free of cost to students, with the help of her team at FOGSI. Through EduSat updated knowledge from metro cities reached out to thousands of rural doctors and postgraduate students, updating and educating them on the latest managements skills in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Satellite transmission was used as there was no availability of video transmission in those years!
The norm in rural areas was that women delivered in their villages and homes with the help of “Dais”. With lack of safe services in villages, transport to cities and presence of anemia, many women died during childbirth. Hence the Government encouraged women to come to the hospital for safe delivery, through various excellent incentives. This promoted many to come to the hospitals, which could not cope with the influx of patients.
To assist the Govt. of India in reducing maternal mortality in India, Dr. Shah offered the services of the private sector by offering deliveries in private nursing homes on a low cost basis. As part of the National Rural Health Mission Dr. Shah developed the Accreditation Criteriae for Private Nursing Homes for the Government of India in collaboration with WHO to standardize the care for maternal health for private nursing homes in the country. Based on these guidelines the Government would accredit private nursing homes and recognize good quality private nursing homes in the country. This was her effort to work alongside the Government to offer safe maternity services to rural women who could not be accommodated for safe delivery in government hospitals due to lack of space. Today, the “Manyata” Program carried out by FOGSI, is based on this endeavor, which was initiated by her in 2009 – 2011.
Yet another inspiring initiative undertaken by Dr. Shah was to deliver Iron infusions through intravenously as an alternative to the Iron Tablets given to pregnant women in Primary Healthcare Centers in Villages. As Chair of the The Indian College of Obstetrics & Gynecology (ICOG) she realized that many women in the rural area die during childbirth because of anaemia and they were reluctant to take oral iron due to their side effects, hence their hemoglobin always remained low. By administrating iron intravenously safely in the public healthcare had not yet been established. To prove the effectiveness and safty of IV Iron infusions to combat anaemia in pregnancy in the rural sector, Dr Shah initiated a study with the Public Health Foundation of India under the Aegis of Indian College of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists. A decade long study has now resulted in the Government implementing this plan in Primary Health Centres across the country. This study executed by Public Health Foundation of India was recently published by the Lancet Journal in December 2019. Today every eligible pregnant woman attending the Antenatal Clinic in rural India will be administered Iron Infusions during her mandatory antenatal visits in Primary Health Centers (PHCs.)
All Medical colleges where Postgraduate students qualified from did not have the facilities for minimally invasive surgery in 2006. Dr. Duru Shah collaborated with the Ethicon Institute of Surgical Education (EISE) and created a FOGSI-ICOG Ethiskills Course to upgrade the surgical skills of Post Graduate students of Obs. & Gyn., totally free for 5 years, so that they could be trained the latest art of surgery, on simulators, in dry and wet labs of EISE and animal tissues.
In 2008 as President of the Indian Menopause Society, Dr. Duru Shah created a need for education on menopause health both amongst medical students and the doctors treating menopausal women. She put together a lot of educational content and a Quiz on the subject of Menopausal Medicine, which was not focused upon by clinicians, nor teachers, in medical colleges. She organized an International Conference and raised money to support a model for the healthcare of menopausal women in rural India.
During her tenure as the President of the Indian Society of Assisted Reproduction, in 2017-2018, Dr. Shah was engaged in a dialogue with the Government of India to include Infertility under Insurance. WHO has considered infertility a disease, and Infertility in India, is a major social problem besides disease. Women, who have difficulty in bearing children, suffer both mentally and physically and if they are economically weak, they suffer even more! Insurance for infertility is not available in India. Her efforts took wings after intervention from Niti Aayog, when Infertility was added along with ten other conditions to be included under the health Insurance program. Two of the biggest Insurance Players in India have already included infertility in their portfolio
Currently as the Founder President of the PCOS Society of India, which she created 5 years ago, to raise awareness on the health of young girls and women with Polycystic Ovarian (PCOS) Syndrome, she has been able to create a lot of awareness on this subject. She developed multiple Educational Courses and content for physicians’ online and Outreach programs for women through a “Conquer PCOS”. India has the second highest number of Diabeties in the World. PCOS is a condition which increases the risk of Diabeties in women which also affects their future, and their future children. Increasing awareness on lifestyle changes has to be initiated in young girls especially those with PCOS, so that they could avoid prevent Diabetes in themselves and their next generation.
- Dr Duru Shah, has received many awards, some of the most prestigious being the International award from FIGO and is the first and only Indian to be honoured with this prestigious “Distinguished Merit Award for service towards women’s health”, which was conferred on her by at the International Federation of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (FIGO) This honor was bestowed upon her for her relentless work in educating and impacting the lives of common Indian women.
- “The Presidential Recognition Award” was offered to her by the International Menopause
Society (IMS) for her outstanding service to the Society, presented at the 16th World
Congress on Menopause, Vancouver, Canada, 2018. - In recognition of her services she was awarded the “Honorary Fellowship” of the Royal College of Obstetrics & Gynecology– London November 2008, which is offered to those who have contributed meaningfully to women’s health.
- The OPPI Recognition award for outstanding contribution in the field of women’s health, was handed over to her by the Hon. Minister of State, Smt. Anupriya Patel, in Delhi in 2018.
She has also been recognized by her own peers in the country
- The “Indian Medical Association” (IMA) Award for her valuable contribution to Medical Fraternity, was conferred on her, July 2009.
- In the world of women who have affected the lives of many others she has been declared as one of the 25 power women on the Marie Claire Influencers List 2013 who has inspired change and are advocates of change and has been acknowledged as one of the “Top 20 women achievers” of Indian healthcare in 2008
In order to explain all about Pregnancy to women and to assist them in planning therir pregnancies well, Dr. Duru Shah, wrote a book “Fetal Attraction- Everything Indian Parents- to-be Need to know about Pregnancy & Childbirth"
Authored by Dr. Shah, with her co-author Dr. Safala Shroff, Fetal Attraction is a classic one stop resource to pregnancy, labour, and early childbirth. When the book was released, the media hailed it as “The Only Pregnancy Resource You’ll Ever Need”. Even today the book is available on Amazon / Kindle for the Common Indian woman to benefit from. After 11 Reprints, the Book was re-edited and released as “Pregnancy and You” which is available in established Book Stores all over India.
Dr. Duru Shah is also a prolific writer and has authored over 200 chapters and articles in National and International Textbooks and Medical Journals. She has edited and co-edited more than 20 books in the field of Gynaecology and Obstetrics. She is a Peer Reviewer for many journals and is on the Editorial board of “The Obstetrician and Gynaecologist "TOG" of the Royal College of Obs & Gyn, the "Climacteric" of the "International Menopause Society" and in the past for “PCOS- Reproductive Health of the British Menopause Society”. Currently she is the Editor of 2 National Journals and a Peer Reviewer for some more.
- Dr Shah has represented India on a multitude of global platforms. She has been the member of the Guideline Critique Advisory Group of The Foundation for Medical Research UK, Country Representative of India to the Asia Pacific Initiative on Reproduction, (ASPIRE) the European Society of Human Reproduction (ESHRE) and the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) She has also served as Representative of FOGSI to the International Federation of Gynecology & Obstetrics (FIGO), has served for 6 years as Member of the Ethics Committee of FIGO and has been the Member of the Executive Board of International Menopause Society (IMS) for 8 years. She retired as Director of Digital Education of the International Menopause Society after creating a brilliant Online Course called “IMPART”. Knowing her interest in Gender Violence, Majlis, an NGO focused on Sexual Abuse, invited her to be on their Ethics Committee.
- In 2015, Dr. Shah alongwith a team of 15 powerful women, set up her own Foundation called “The Women’s Empowerment Foundation” which works in Dharavi to empower young girls with knowledge on their Reproductive and Sexual Health, with self-sufficiency through skill training and confidence through self-protection. The vocational training in current times has shifted from Mehendi and Tailoring in the past, to Computer Skills and English language today!. Young girls go through these training programs very enthusiastically and truly enjoy “Karate” immensely which teaches them to defend themselves.
- Through WE Foundation, Dr Shah in 2017 launched India’s first and only Reproductive and Sexual health App which is available today in five languages. The app titled ‘Too Shy to Ask’ allows teenagers to ask personal questions to experts, in their own private space in an anonymous manner. It is available free of cost on both the Playstore and Appstore and is supported by Metropolis. Recently the App has won 2 special awards : the “CSR Impact Award at the 8th India CSR Awards 2020” and the “CSR Health Impact Award by India Health and Wellness Council”.
To introduce Dr Duru Shah, she has been the first and only Indian to receive the prestigious “Distinguished Merit Award for service towards women’s health”, at the Opening Ceremony of the World Conference of the International Federation of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (FIGO), Rome in October 2012. This honor was bestowed upon her for her relentless work in educating and impacting the lives of common Indian women.
Dr Duru Shah, a veteran Gynecologist and Fertility Specialist from Mumbai has had an exhilarating journey as a doctor; marked with academic milestones, global recognitions and a lifetime spent in dispelling dangerous myths and reinforcing health messages.
Dr Duru Shah initiated the Suprabha Ganga Yatra programme in 2006. This walkathon of its first kind spanned 2400 kilometres and involved thousands of doctors and volunteers. Besides creating mass awareness, this program collected data from 1 million women from the most backward parts of the country. The one single need of all these women were access to sterilisation facilities in their villages. Subsequently, sterilisation procedures got added into the National Family Planning Scheme. The yatra took over 108 days, covered hundreds of small towns and villages and was carried out in five states that recorded the highest maternal mortality rates.
Yet another inspiring initiative undertaken by Dr Shah was to deliver Iron infusions through IV as an alternative to the Iron Tablets given to pregnant women in Primary Healthcare Centers in Villages. Most women in rural area die because of anaemia during childbirth. To prove the effectiveness of IV Iron infusions to combat anaemia in pregnancy, Dr Shah constituted a study with the Public Health Foundation of India under the Aegis of Indian College of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists. A decade long study has now resulted in the government implanting this plan in Primary Health Centres across the country. This study constituted by Public Health Foundation of India was recently published by Lancet Journals. Today every single pregnant woman from the tiniest of the villages will be administered Iron Infusions during her mandatory antenatal visits in PHCs.
As the President of the Federation of Obstetric & Gynecological Societies of India (FOGSI) in 2006, she had knocked on the doors of the Government in Delhi, worked along with global organizations such as WHO, UNFPA and UNICEF, and campaigned with the Ministry of Health, for Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health (ARSH) information to be imparted to all in schools. Her efforts resulted in success as the Health Ministry made it mandatory for it to be included in school textbooks in India in 2008.
Dr Shah directly led a decade long Urban Adolescent Empowerment project “Growing up" – which educated approximately 5 million girls in India on Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health. Growing up was a significant movement at a point of time in the country when matters on Adolescent, Reproductive and Sexual Health was not openly discussed in schools or even between parents and children. This effective movement created an impact that changed the perception of a generation of girls who grew up to be more aware and responsible mothers of tomorrow. For the first time in their lives, these girls opened and asked questions that they never could ask anyone before.
Dr Shah set up the Kishori Program in Dharavi that impacted the lives of over 20,000 young girls in a period of 5-6 years. The Program was not just education but giving these young girls a voice. They were also given vocational training as a means of survival in addition to gender education, self-defense trainings and reproductive health information along with education on contraceptives.
With a powerful vision to reach out to the masses, Dr Shah took upon herself to enlist the support of celebrities to spread critical public awareness on female feticide, transmission of AIDS from mother to child and even combating Anemia in pregnancy. Mr Amitabh Bachchan, Mrs Jaya Bachchan, Ms Aishwarya Rai and Mr Ajay Devgan came forward to support Dr Shah in her mission to spread awareness. The STAR group broadcast these messages for over a month that reached out to over 20 million households at that point.
In addition, Dr Shah in 2017 launched India’s first and only reproductive health app in five languages. The app titled ‘Too Shy to Ask’ allows teenagers to ask questions to experts in their own private space in an anonymous manner. Authored by Dr Shah, Fetal Attraction is a classic one stop resource to pregnancy, labour, and early childbirth. When the book was released, the media hailed it as “The Only Pregnancy Resource You’ll Ever Need”. Even today the book is available on Amazon / Kindle for the Common Indian woman to benefit from.
Mission: Contribution to Adolescent, reproductive and sexual health
- Kishori program in Dharavi: impacted the lives of over 20,000 young girls in a period of 5-6 years
- Dr Shah directly led a decade long Urban Adolescent Empowerment project “Growing up" – which educated approximately 5 million girls in India on Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health.
- As the President of the Federation of Obstetric & Gynecological Societies of India (FOGSI) in 2006, she had knocked on the doors of the Government in Delhi, worked along with global organizations such as WHO, UNFPA and UNICEF, and campaigned with the Ministry of Health, for Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health (ARSH) information to be imparted to all in schools. Her efforts resulted in success as the
Health Ministry made it mandatory for it to be included in school textbooks in India in 2008.
State
Awarded the “Top 20 women achievers” of the Indian healthcare award – Mumbai March 2008
National
Awarded the “Indian Medical Association” (IMA) Award for the valuable contribution to Medical Fraternity, Mumbai, July 2009
Dr. Duru Shah was conferred the OPPI (Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India)
recognition award for outstanding contribution in the field of women’s health in July 2018
International
The first Indian to receive the prestigious “Distinguished Merit Award for service towards women’s health”, at the Opening Ceremony of the World Conference of the International Federation of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (FIGO), Rome- October 2012
Awarded the “Honorary Fellowship” of the Royal College of Obstetrics & Gynecology– London November 2008.
One of the 25 power women on the Marie Claire Influencers List 2013 who have inspired change and are advocates of change.
In association with Indian Space Research Organization, Dr Shah built a model that connected 800 Primary Health Care Centers through “Edusat”. With help of 5 satellite stations of ISRO through the year, EduSat reached out to over 10,000 rural doctors updating and educating them on the latest in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
Dr. Duru Shah is also a prolific writer and has authored over 200 chapters and articles in National and International Textbooks, Journals. She has edited and co-edited more than 20 books in her field. She is a Peer Reviewer for many journals and is on the Editorial board of "TOG" of the Royal College of Obs & Gyn, the "Climacteric" of the "International Menopause Society" and "Menopause International" of the British Menopause Society.
Dr Shah has represented India on a multitude of global platforms. She has been the member of the Guideline Critique Advisory Group of The Foundation for Medical Research UK, President of the Indian Society for Assisted Reproduction (ISAR), Country Representative of India to the Asia Pacific Initiative on Reproduction. She was the representative of FOGSI to The International Federation of Gynecology & Obstetrics and has held positions of Chairman and President at Indian College of Obstetrics & Gynecology (ICOG), Indian Menopause Society, The Federation of Obstetric & Gynecological Societies of India, Mumbai Obstetric & Gynecological Society, Member of the Executive Board of International Menopause Society, Chairman of the Education Committee of the International Menopause Society, Representative of Indian Menopause Society to Asia Pacific Menopause Federation.
Contributions to the Society
- Efforts to bring infertility under insurance – During her tenure as the President of ISAR, Dr Shah was engaged in a dialogue with the government to include Infertility under Insurance. Her efforts took wings after intervention from NITI Aayog and finally the bill was passed in the parliament where Infertility was added along with ten other conditions to be included under Insurance. Two of the biggest Insurance Players in India have already included infertility in their portfolio
- Building a WHO based guideline for Nursing Homes in the country: Working along with the WHO, Dr Duru Shah built a guideline to recognise good quality nursing homes in the country. This was her effort to work alongside the government to bring down malpractice in pregnancy and maternal care in nursing homes led by unqualified professionals in remote towns and districts. As part of the National Rural Health Mission, Dr Shah facilitated an accreditation process for the government to enhance the quality of care in the rural belt.
- As the President of the Federation of Obstetric & Gynecological Societies of India (FOGSI) in 2006, she had knocked on the doors of the Government in Delhi, worked along with global organizations such as WHO, UNFPA and UNICEF, and campaigned with the Ministry of Health, for Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health (ARSH) information to be imparted to all in schools. Her efforts resulted in success as the Health Ministry made it mandatory for it to be included in school textbooks in India in 2008.
