INITIATION OF I.A.P.-O.S.B

The light is ignited.

                Many enthusiastic members of IAP in 1980 provided the stimulus to create a state chapter. By that time undivided Assam had a state branch which got dissolved and Orissa is the 1st East Zone, State to have a Branch of lAP. The formal meeting to create a Branch was held at Circuit House of Cuttack on 10th May, 1980. The then Editor of Samaj Sri Radhanath Rath presided over the meeting and blessed the organization to be formed. The meeting was attended by many pediatricians of the state. Many of them were members and some were not bonafied members of lAP at that time. Except Dr.Gopal Chandra Das, who is the founder life member of Indian Academy of Pediatrics others are ordinary members. As the list of ordinary members are not maintained in Central office it is difficult to get the names of founder members of Orissa State Branch authentically. However, the Pediatricians present in the meeting were Dr. G.C.Das, Dr. Sunil Kumar Sen, Dr. Sangram Keshari Behera, Dr. Radhasyam Kar, Dr. Dasarathi Dash, Dr. Santosh Kumar Giri, Dr. Rabikumar Satapathy Dr. AC. Parija, Dr. Mohini Mohan Das, Dr. Govinda Chandra Samal, Dr. S. saifullah (pediatric surgeon), Dr. Aswini Mohanty and Dr. Gadadhar Sarangi. Some of the non Pediatricians whose contribution needs worth to be mentioned are Dr. A.K. Bardhan and Dr. Jagdish Acharya.

               Dr. G.C.Das was elected as the founder President of the newly born organization and Dr. S.K.Sen was elected as the secretary of lAP, State Branch of Orissa. In the capacity of the Secretary he had requested the General Secretary of Indian Academy of Pediatrics Dr. S.N. Lohe to get approval for the State Branch from the Executive committee of IAP to be hold on 1.6.1980, in his letter dated 24th May 1980 (copy of the letter attached) In all probability Orissa State Branch was given acceptance in 1.6.1980 with Prof. G.c. Das as the first President and Prof. S.K. Sen as the first Secretary. There is no authentic documented evidence, neither the memory could be stretched that long to memorize the list of executive committee members of that time. However in all probability the first regular state Branch of lAP of the Eastern Zonal States got born. We reiterate our thanks and gratefulness to the generation of Pediatricians of yester years for the beautiful platform they have provided to more than 300 pediatricians of today.

          At the time of formation of IAP-OSB the following were the bonafied members of lAP from Orissa.

1. Dr. G.C.Das - Founder member of IAP and Life member.
2. Dr. Nityananda Das
3. Dr. D.D. Tripathy
4. Dr. Sailabala Mohanty
5. Dr. S.K.Behera
6. Dr. S.K.Sen
7. Dr. A.C.Parija
8. Dr. K.C.Praharaj
9.  Dr.  Rabikumar Satapathy
10. Dr. T.N.Panda
11. Dr. G.C.Samal
12. Dr. S.Saifullah
13. Dr. Dasarathi Dash
14. Dr. S.c.Praharaj
15. Dr. M.M.Das
16. Dr. Gadadhar Sarangi
17. Dr. Radhanath Satapathy

                                                                         FROM THE PAST TO THE PRESENT
                                                                         (WONDERFUL METAMORPHOSIS)

         Orissa State Branch was formed, accepted in 1980, kudos to the masters of that time. The Branch became the 1st regular Branch of Eastern India. The commendable foresight installed the institution but gone into post exhaustive inaction after 2conferences. 1st Conference was held at M.K.C.G. Medical College, Berhampur under the Stewardship of Dr. S.K. Behera to be followed in 1981 at BALASORE. DR. B.K.Giri  left no stone unturned to give it a Mini National colour.

            National Conference of lAP was invited for 1982. The process of invitation started in 1980 before the formation of State Branch and formal invitation was given in 1981 at Hyderabad by Prof. G.c. Das who is already the president of the state Chapter. Probably this resulted in chaos within the stalwarts of that time. Few expressed our unpreparedness for the National event and others of a sense of neglect. The Organizing Secretary Dr. G.c. Das, along with his team struddled the way. Resistance is not an unwelcoming factor rather with any good work it is inevitable. Most pediatricians beyond the boundaries of Cuttack remained silent spectators of the event even many did not attend the meet. Added to the problem was the ferocious encounter with nature. III: kilometers from Cuttack Bhubaneswar road was washed out in Nov. 1981. The life line to Cuttack from the capital is lost. It became impossible to hold the conference in Jan/ Feb. of 1982. The dates were shifted and the internal as well as external chaos continued till the end of the conference in Nov. 1982. The support of Prof. K.Indira Bai is unforgettable. With a thin attendance the conference was successful in many ways than one.

              The year 1982 gave a negative feeling in many resulting is no state meet of the year and probably nobody presided the branch that year. It took quiet a few years to resolve the differences. In 1984 meet at V.S.S. Medical College, Burla the society advocated for specialist posts in the district headquarters hospitals and to have an examiner from Pediatrics faculty in final M.B.B.S. examination. These advocacy returned fruit in the later dates. It was also planned to move out for the conference meets every year to the peripheral areas of Orissa.

             In 1981 lAP-OSB had proposed to have a child welfare board to the Government which did not worked out then. Subsequently, a department for Woman and Child Development (WCD) got formed under the direct Control of a Minister. Many of our Pediatricians are life members of the organization. But IAP-OSB could not till date have a direct say in the day to day work of the department. However, last two years the department is working in close co-ordination with IAP-OSB and the members of Khurda District are extended the position for expert technical Advise. Various functions like organization of health camps, ORS week and day and other children related activities are conducted in collaboration with the department.

             Pediatric education, from bare a couple of questions in one paper has gone to be a separate paper with separate examination in all universities of Orissa from 2003. The credit goes to the past heads of the departments and their team for the great achievement.

               Dr. Arabinda Mohanty President lAP OSB - 2004 has been nominated by law department as a member of the State juvenile Justice board of Orissa in 2004. Dr. S.S.Mohapatra President Khurda District Branch lAP is appointed as member of child welfare Committee - 2005 under Women and Child Development Department. Dr. Mohanty was also appointed as member of Scrutiny Committee for adoption by WCD Department from 2003  

               In the current year Health Dept. of Govt. of Orissa has invited the President of IAP to take part and give expert technical advice in reduction of Infant mortality.
               A memorandum of understanding has been signed this year with UNICEF to cater and upgrade Immunization Services, IMNCI activity promotion and Neonatal mortality reduction in Orissa. IAP-OSB is endowed to look after the training and technical advise component.

                The first Orissa journal of pediatrics, an official quarterly of lAP OSB made its appearance in 1994. It is making head way till date with undesirable interruptions time and again. 'Ekamra' the official.quarterly of Khurda District Branch of lAP is continuing regularly from 2005 January. IAP-Neochap Orissa is also continuing uninterrupted from 2005. The 5th issue is already completed. Orissa is proud of having largest members (86) from this sub specialty chapter of IAP Neonatology from Orissa. Ganjam District branch regularly brings out its bulletin under the stewardship of Dr. J.J.Swamy.

                  Orissa has organized the 19th National Conference of Pediatrics in 1982 with Dr. G.C. Das as the Organizing Secretary and Dr. Sarat Chandra Mishra as the Organizing Chairman. The 4th East Zone lAP Conference was organized at Cuttack with Dr. Subodh Chandra Praharaj as Organizing Secretary and Dr. Amiya Charan Parija as Chairman in 1998. The 10th East zone lAP conference was held at Bhubaneswar in 2003 with Dr. Gadadhar Sarangi as Organizing Secretary and Dr. Sailabala Mohanty as Chairman, Organizing Committee. Apart from these national events many state level workshops and zonal workshops were conducted in the recent past.
               We do not believe that lAP is just another NGO for children. It is a conglomeration of a large number of scientists who are advocates for wellbeing of children of this State. We are also expected to infuse expert technical advise in alleviating the suffering of the timing million children around us.
 

Top