PTU centre at KGH to reduce Hysterectomies
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2024-07-20 17:09 GMT
Visakhapatnam: The uterus serves many functions beyond childbirth, and removing it will lead to several complications. Despite its many roles, many women opt to remove it with hysterectomy surgery due to excessive bleeding after childbirth. As part of its "Preserve the Uterus" (PTU) initiative, Bayer in partnership with the Andhra Pradesh government inaugurated the country’s first Centre of Excellence at King George Hospital (KGH), here on Monday. Bayer collaborated with the Andhra Pradesh government by signing an MOU in last March as the state has the highest rate of hysterectomies at 8.7 per cent.
The event included a training session for approximately 100 doctors from government hospitals and ASHA workers. They were trained on the use of LNG-IUS (levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system) devise, which offers a non-invasive approach to managing heavy menstrual bleeding. Shweta Rai, country managing director for Bayer’s pharmaceuticals division, told the Deccan Chronicle that early hysterectomy affects women's mental health and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and osteoporosis. “Our clinical trials of LNG-IUS have shown a 97% reduction in menstrual blood loss over 12 months. This device releases levonorgestrel hormone into the uterine cavity, provides effective contraception for up to five years and significantly reduces menstrual blood loss over time,” she explained.
Dr P. Sivananda, the superintendent of KGH, emphasized the importance of this initiative in improving women's health by reducing the reliance on hysterectomies. He stated that the training sessions were crucial for equipping healthcare professionals with the necessary skills to offer alternative treatments so that a hysterectomy would be considered only as a last resort. Dr Sandhya Devi, head of the gynaecology department at KGH, expressed pride as the hospital was chosen to establish the country's first PTU centre and reiterated the commitment to provide effective treatment to the problem by improving the capabilities of medical professionals through continuous training.