Event

The Integral Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, in collaboration with the Departments of Bioengineering and Biosciences, hosted a one-day awareness programme in the University's Central Auditorium on April 19, 2022, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to commemorate World Hemophilia Day.

A poster competition was organized as part of an awareness programme before the talks by renowned speakers. A total of 22 individuals took part in the event. Following the preliminary screening, the students displayed sixteen posters for the final round. These posters were judged by Prof. Abha Chandra, Vice Dean, IIMSR, Dr. Nida Fatima, Department of Bioengineering Alumni, and Dr. Nida Khan, IIMSR.

The welcome address was given by Dr. Alvina Farooqui, Head of the Department of Bioengineering. She underlined the need of the educated class in raising awareness of haemophilia among the poor. Dr. Farooqui quoted extensively from Shakespeare and Wordsworth in a rare combination of candour and scholarship.

Prof. Shaba Phadke, Head, Department of Medical Genetics, SGPGI, Lucknow, and Prof. Tulika Chandra, Head, Department of Transfusion Medicine, KGMU, Lucknow, both recognised medical luminaries, delivered keynote addresses during the occasion. Dr. Tulika Chandra is the chairman of the department of transfusion medicine at King George Medical University (KGMU) Lucknow. Dr. Phadke is recognised with founding the first medical genetics department at the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences. She was a driving force behind the establishment of blood component separation units in Uttar Pradesh. To name a few of her honours, she is a member of the State Blood Transfusion Council, the National Blood Cell, and the National Stem Cell Committee.

Dr. Shubha Phadke has over three decades of clinical and laboratory genetics experience, beginning as the first student of the renowned Dr. SS Agarwal. She has been conducting India's first DM in Medical Genetics programme since 1996, and she has helped to develop the specialty of Medical Genetics by training the majority of medical geneticists in the country.

Students used a stage act titled "Rethinking Shakespeare with Haemophilia" to raise awareness about uncommon genetic illnesses. The message was that timely genetic counselling and early genetic disease detection are critical. The act coordinators were Dr. Aisha Kamal and Ms. Poonam Sharma.

Mr. Fauzan Akhtar, IIMSR Executive Director, Dr. Alvina Farooqui, and Dr. Snober S. Mir, Head, Department of Biosciences, awarded the speakers with mementos.

For the poster competition, the speakers were in charge of awarding certificates and distributing prizes. Ms. Sakshi Singh Rajput took first place, with KahkashanMoheet and Abu Sahma taking second and third place, respectively. Dr. Snober S. Mir, Head Department of Biosciences, proposed a vote of thanks at the end of the event. The programme was hosted by Dr. Farina Mujeeb, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biosciences.

The programme received a tremendous response, with 264 people including staff and students.