As a third-year medical student, I had a rotation in obstetrics and gynecology. At this rotation, I had an experience with a patient that transformed my professional path and encouraged my promotional community-based activity as a health care practitioner. The patient whom I encountered was a woman admitted for infertility evaluation. In the course of her assessment, I learned that the patient had a history of pelvic inflammatory disease due to unhygienic practices during the menstrual period, which ultimately led to permanent infertility.
Witnessing her emotional reaction to the news about her inability to get pregnant anytime in life, I felt moved. The patient explained that she used clothes as sanitary pads, then washed and reused them. This information was a signal for me to take immediate action and provide guidance. That experience drove my decision to spread awareness about hygiene in the slum area.
I made brochures in my vernacular language and distributed them to slum areas and nearby villages. I conducted approximately 20 workshops at Karamsad, Anand, and Ahmedabad, where I promoted sanitary pads usage. This experience taught me to remain proactive and raise awareness of preventable diseases. After that experience, I participated in the National School Health Program, Vector-Borne Diseases Control Program, Blood donation camps. I also spread awareness about prenatal check-ups and vaccination in the community and hospital settings. I participated in health fairs, where I educated people about preventable diseases and nutrition.