AMA VICDOC Summer 2024 - Magazine - Page 25
MY INTEREST IN MEDICINE WAS SPARKED
AFTER MY OWN EXPERIENCE AS A PATIENT.
IMPROVING WOMEN'S HEALTHCARE REQUIRES A
FOCUS ON EQUITY AND CULTURALLY SAFE CARE.
I was born in Sri Lanka and moved to
Australia when I was 12 years old.
When I returned for a holiday at 14,
I contracted dengue fever. This was my
second time contracting dengue fever,
and often the second occurrence is when
your body mounts a severe immune
response. I was in the ICU for a month
and came very close to losing my life.
It was very traumatic for me and my
family. However, I vividly remember the
compassion of a particular doctor. She
saved my life with her expert medical
care, but it was her genuine compassion
that made all the difference. Her care
made me realise that being a doctor is
not just about treating illness, but about
humanity. This experience inspired me to
pursue medicine, driven by a deep desire
to provide my patients with the same
care and compassion I received. I strive
to ensure that every patient feels they are
in the hands of someone who is not only
clinically skilled but also truly committed
to their wellbeing.
In women’s health, there are significant
disparities, particularly for Indigenous
women, migrant women, and those
in rural and remote areas. We must
provide culturally safe care — care that
respects and acknowledges each patient’s
cultural identity, values, and needs and
ensures they feel understood, valued,
and supported. This requires continuous
education for clinicians, actively listening
to community voices, and fostering an
environment where patients receive care
aligned with their cultural beliefs. For
instance, in some cultures there is no
word for ‘placenta,’ making it challenging
for clinicians, even with an interpreter,
to convey its importance in relation to
stillbirth prevention. To overcome this,
the cultural adaptation of the Safer Baby
Bundle has developed analogies that
ensure stillbirth prevention messages are
communicated effectively and respectfully
to diverse cultural groups.
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