Health and Medicine

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Low Breast Cancer screening rates among Indian and Sri Lankan women in NSW need to change

Free Community seminar for info on Breast Cancer screening

Free Community seminar for info on Breast Cancer screening

ADDRESSING LOW BREAST SCREENING RATES IN SRI LANKAN AND INDIAN WOMEN IN NSW

Did you know that breast cancer is a leading cause of death in women in India and Sri Lanka?

In Australia, the Department of Health and Aging seeks to persuade women aged 50 to 69 years to have a Mammography every two years.   This strategy is adopted because the risk of developing breast cancer  increases with age. Research shows that “75 per cent of all breast cancers occur in women over the age of 50 years.”  According to Cancer Australia, in 2009 the average age of breast cancer diagnosis in Australia was 60.7 years  and, in 2010, 52.5% of new breast cancer cases diagnosed were in women aged 50–69 years. This age-related risk is also reflected in many other studies.

Breast Cancer community meeting BannersLast month, I attended an Indian and Sri Lankan community leaders forum organised by the NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service (http://www.mhcs.health.nsw.gov.au), which partnered with the NSW Refugee Health Service (http://www.swslhd.nsw.gov.au/refugee) and the Cancer Institute NSW (http://www.cancerinstitute.org.au).

At this forum I found some disturbing news:

  1. In NSW, approximately one in five women of Tamil or Hindi speaking background participate in breast screening. This compares with screening participation of about one in two women in the general population.
  2. The vast majority of women who speak Hindi or Tamil in NSW do not regularly attend BreastScreen.
  3. In NSW, Tamil speaking women are about 4 times less likely to participate in breast screening compared with women in the general population.
  4. In NSW, Hindi speaking women are about one third less likely to participate in breast screening compared with women in the general population.
  5. Hindi and Tamil speaking women are the two culturally and linguistically diverse groups least likely to participate in breast screening in NSW.
Breast Cancer Screening Community Forum

Community leaders, members and organisers at Thornleigh Community Centre

Pink Sari ProjectThe “Pink Sari” Project is a community based initiative that is helping to address that – to bring various organisations together to increase breast screening rates in women from Indian and Sri Lankan communities in NSW. The Pink Sari Project was launched at the forum. Over 80 people attended the forum to learn how they can all pledge their support to help save the lives of mothers, grandmothers, daughters and sisters in the Indian and Sri Lankan communities.
One of their strongest advocates is Indian-born, Parramatta-based doctor, Dr. Palu Malaowalla who is also a breast cancer survivor. She says, “As a doctor, I do breast checks for everyone yet I didn’t find my own cancer. Even the surgeons couldn’t find it. It was only on mammogram that it was detected. That saved my life.”

You can view Palu’s interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vc8f0PEsXmE

Meredith Kay, Director of the BreastScreen NSW, Northern Sydney Local Health District said “nine out of ten breast cancers occur in women with no family history, so being ‘breast aware’ and spending 30 minutes every two years will bring peace of mind”.  “Women need to be aware that early detection significantly increases the chance of survival from breast cancer to as much as 97%, and for women aged 50-74, a mammogram every two years can detect a breast cancer the size of a grain of rice, long before it can be felt or seen”.

Studies have identified a number of factors as influencing and/or mitigating attitudes among South Asian immigrant women including those from India and Sri Lankan in relation to breast screening. These include:

• Lack of knowledge about breast cancer and health matters;

• Fear and superstitions;

• Family honour;

• Lack of time;

• Modesty and

•Misunderstanding and lack of English language proficiency in some cases.

COMMUNITY INFORMATION SESSION
Why do we have low rates? What can be done? What is the current understanding of breast cancer?
What are the myths and more importantly FACTS about BreastScreening /Mammograms?

Sunday, 1.30PM to 3.30PM, 16 November 2014 at Ermington Community Centre, Ermington, NSW 2115.

Indian and Sri Lankan community members, associations and media are encouraged to attend. Community members, especially women from Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Nepali background are very welcome to attend.

Dr Yadu Singh/Sydney/21st October, 2014

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(With inputs and contribution from Pink Sari Project team)

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Nalini Needs You. Can you help her please?

NaliniNeedsYou

 

 

Can you help? There is a better chance to help if you are from Kerala background but any Indian can help!

  

Dr Nalini Ambady, a professor at Stanford University, was recently diagnosed with a recurrence of leukemia, which she first battled in 2004. Now, she has only eight weeks left to live and urgently needs a bone marrow transplant from a genetically matched donor.

Originally from Kerala, Ambady became the first Indian American female professor in the Psychology Department at Harvard University, Tufts University, and Stanford University, according to a press release. Her research has been covered in Malcolm Galdwell’s book, “Blink.” More details are available on www.NaliniNeedsYou.com 

People of South Asian descent have a lower likelihood of finding a bone marrow match, and in Ambady’s case, doctors have estimated that chance at one in 20,000. 

HOW YOU CAN HELP? 

Since every willing donor may not be a perfect match for Nalini, we need as many willing donors as possible in a short time.

If you are willing to help and in the age group of 18-45 years please ring RED CROSS on  131495  and register with Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry and donate.

ABMDR donor info is here  for your information. http://www.abmdr.org.au/

——————————————————————————————————————————–

Dr Yadu Singh/Sydney/26th April, 2013

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All except tobacco companies are happy with the passage of Tobacco Plain Packaging Bill 2011 in the Senate in Australia!

As a medical practitioner, I have keen interest in Public health and preventive medicine. I have been following the progress of Tobacco Plain Packaging Bill 2011 and Trade Marks Amendment (Tobacco Plain Packaging) Bill 2011, with keen interest. Both have now been passed in the Senate on 10/11/11, after having received approval in the House of Representatives in Aug 2011.

I was very happy that the Bills were finally passed. They will now return to the House of Representatives for the final tick.

Australian Medical association [AMA], of which I am a member, Australian GP Network [AGPN], Australian Council on Smoking and Health [ACOSH], Cancer Councils, Public Health Association of Australia [PHAA], Action on Smoking & Health [ASH] and many more including leading Professors  have all been strong supporters of these Bills, which have been considered as progressive piece of Legislation.

Except for some minor disagreements, all political parties were in support of Tobacco Plain Packaging Bill. NSW Govt led by Barry O’Farrell was also in support of this Bill, as was the Baillieu  Govt of Victoria.

This legislation is a world first. It is likely to reduce smoking, particularly among young people.

Approx 18% Australians smoke currently, compared to 23% a decade ago. 15000 Australians die from smoking related illnesses and a lot more get Heart attacks and strokes with serious impact on quality of life. The total cost per annum for related health care is $30 billion.

Big Tobacco companies like British American Tobacco, Philip Morris and Imperial Tobacco have threatened to challenge the legislation, once it becomes Law, in the High Court, but legal experts say that they have hardly any chance to succeed. The grounds on which the Big tobacco want to challenge this legislation is the breach of their trademarks and intellectual property rights, without compensation. 

From 1/12/12, Cigarettes packaging will be in drab Brown colour, which is apparently least attractive to people. The name of the brand and the maker will be allowed in a specified small size but Logo will not be allowed. Front of the package will have the explicit  health warning/message against smoking in 75% of the area and the back will have the same in 90% of the area.

Experts claim that cost of cigarettes and advertisements are two most important factors which attract people to cigarettes. The cost of cigarettes was increased last year and outdoor advertisement including sport linked advertisements have been banned too for some years. Seeing the name and Logo in flashy colours was the the last frontier of advertisement, experts have suggested.

World Health Organisation [WHO] has sided with Australia, while Big Tobacco ran an advertisement campaign earlier against this Bill. All sorts of objections were raised about the constitutionality of the Bill and that this Bill would violate WTO rules, but Govt stood its grounds, rejecting such claims. The Big Tobacco companies even went to the Court to get access to the legal opinion which Govt had received in support of the Bill. They did not succeed.

With Australia’s leading role in anti-tobacco campaign, more countries are likely to follow suit. NZ has already shown great enthusiasm in this.

With a close family member of mine succumbing to Tobacco-related cancer, I am against smoking & tobacco use, and am in total support for every anti-Tobacco campaign. There is all the justification for every action to prevent  Tobacco-related  illnesses and deaths.

Dr Yadu Singh/Sydney/11/11/11

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Community work:what I have done so far.

Updated on 11th April, 2011.

Information

Here is my account about what I have done so far and what I am doing right now.

1. Community work in General:

1.1. Leadership roles in Indian community Medical Associations, Continuing Medical education and Health education of general community.

1.2. Helping poor people from our community ie visitors, overseas patients and Indian students when they are in need of health care in Australia without sufficient financial resources.

1.3. Helping poor students in my district with  scholarships etc.

2. My work as the co-ordinator of the Indian Consul General’s committee on students’ issues:
Indian Consul General’s Community Committee on Students’ Issues, Sydney, NSW was formed at the Indian Consulate on 6th April 2009. It did intensive work and completed its task in a very efficient manner. After accomplishing its mandated task, it dissolved itself at the end of June 2009 and communicated this to the Indian Consulate on 1/7/09.

The committee had Harmohan Walia,Vish Viswanathan, Shubha Kumar, Stanley D’Cruz and Dr Yadu Singh as its members. I was its co-ordinator.

This committee had done following activities;

#met students numerous times.

#organised a students’ forum on 16th May at Strathfield.

#co-organised a students’ forum with UIA in Strathfield on 6th June.

#arranged help to a woman student who was a victim of domestic violence.

#arranged help to 2 women students who were stalked by another Indian co-worker.

#arranged meetings with minister of education, NSW and her senior advisers and students from an aviation school-Work in progress.

#arranged a meeting with the president, NSW upper House [Mr Peter Primrose] and Ms Helen Westwood MLA and students.

#arranged meeting of an aviation school student with consul General [this student gave him his papers].

#arranged a meeting with a community minded lawyer and aviation school students.

#met the mother of a student of an aviation school. This lady’s husband had died only 4 weeks ago due to the serious stress involved in losing the money with the school in Sydney without the required outcome.

#arranged and participated in TV coverage of students’ issues on Channel 7, 9, 10, SBS TV, ABC TV, and Bloomberg.

#participated in the coverage on ABC radio, SBS radio, SBS Hindi radio, 2UE, JJJ, Indian Link radio, Radio UMANG, 2GB radio and SBS Kannada Radio.

#arranged talk-backs on these issues on SBS radio and Radio UMANG [98.5MHZ, Fridays,8-9 PM]-now stopped.

#participated in coverage on SMH, The Australian, Daily Telegraph, other newspapers and AAP.

#participated in the coverage on Indian newspapers in Australia [The Indian, Indian Link, Indus Age, The Indian Sub Continent Times, Indian Down Under].

#participated in TimesNow, NDTV, CNN/IBN, Headlines Today, AajTak and other Indian TV Channels.

#participated in the coverage on main Indian newspapers and PTI.

#involved with some top-grade Australian media programmes with wide audience in getting students’ issues covered.

#arranged funds for the accommodation for the relatives Mr Rajesh Kumar [the petrol bomb victim from Harris Park] within 24 hours.

#met commander Robert Redfern , Parramatta Local area Command of NSW Police several times.

#did what we could do to persuade/help the students when they were on the Harris Park streets for 3 nights.

#participated in the community leaders’ meeting with chairman, Community Relations Commission [CRC] at CRC HQ

#participated in a CRC organised meeting with Indian students at Parramatta RSL.

#participated in the community leaders’ meeting with the Premier, Mr Nathan Rees

#Met Indian Consul General and Consul several times

#helped a prominent Indian TV channel with a documentary on true situation in Australia. One of us [Yadu Singh] was the citizen Journalist.

#discussed and formulated the strategy to solve the problems of our students.

#submitted our strategy to the NSW task force and other relevant authorities.

#provided leadership in the matters relating to Indian students.

#gave our after hours and week-ends for students’ work and provided pastoral care to the needy students.

#provided/facilitated medical help to the needy students/their family members.

#met the visiting Indian journalists at the Consulate.
The committee members were all hard-working people with top-grade integrity. They did not have any conflict of interest in the matters relating to Indian students. None of them were involved in the students’ placement in a school [after taking a commission], running of any such school or running of any business which could have a potential conflict of interest in any manner.

All members worked with full dedication, cohesion and team feeling without any undermining of one another. This itself is a rare thing for an Indian group. We are proud of our work and ourselves.

We appealed to every person from Indian background to stay away from any leadership role if they were involved in any activity which did/could create a conflict of interest in these matters but we did not succeed in this matter.

We raised our voice forcefully against the exploitation of Indian students by some Indian employers.

We also appealed to the Indian newspapers and Radio programmes to ask questions from every leader [on students’ issues] about their involvement in any activity which  created a conflict of interest in those matters. We suggested that the  media should start with the questions on conflict of interests when interviewing those leaders.

3.My work beyond/outside the Consul General’s committee on students:

a. helped the refund of >$12000 to a student of a Flying school.

b. arranged legal assistance to the students from this Flying school from a solicitor in Sydney and Canberra.

c.1. facilitated a good outcome between parties involving VETAB, Flying school and students.

c.2. held several meetings involving VETAB high authorities, the Flying school and students in VETAB and my offices.

d. organised further refunds/savings [including waiving of about $50000f the legal fees in regards to a legal proceedings in the Supreme Court where students had lost their case and costs was awarded against them]] for a Flying school students from ESOS scheme with the help of VETAB, DEEWR and federal education dept which is worth >$250000 . I was the key and the only Indian person in this work for these students. I did this as I felt it was my duty to help students from my community who were feeling powerless in Australian system.

e. held meetings involving a Flying school people, VETAB and students.

f. helped payment of >$2400 to a student which was originally denied by his employer.

g. arranged funding of about $1000 to the family members of the “Petrol bomb” victim.

h. donated $500 to a students association.

i. arranged sponsorship for foods, meeting hall and public liability insurance for a students’ association [worth >$1000].

j. mentoring students for their careers and future in OZ.

k.1. donated $500 to AHIA’s seniors.

k.2. donated $500 to Fiji floods relief fund via International congress of Fiji Indians and organized $2000 donations from other doctors

k.3. donated $500 to Sanatan Arya Pratinidhi Samaj, Sydney.

l. donated a good amount [>$2000] for needy/deserving causes involving victims of earthquakes, accidental deaths, injuries and illnesses.

m.1. helping several students including assault victims for their work comp, treatment and issues involving their parents.

m.2. Liaised with NSW Police high ups in regards to the assaults of 2 Indians in Sydney.

m.3. Advised/mentored several others in regards to the steps they needed to take when they were assaulted.

n. established a benevolent fund for the community with further activities in the process.

o. participated as an active member of the working party with CRC on students including inputs for Z card.

p.1. took leadership role via the media including Indian and Australia media [Chanel 9, SBS, NDTV, Indian ethnic newspapers].

p.2. helped Radio National in making a documentary on students [see details in this BLOG elsewhere].

q. raised the issue of OZ Uranium sale to India during the Australia India Day celebration on 24th Jan, 2010 where several ministers, MPs, MLAs, MLC, and media people were present.

r. helped community members’ relatives/parents including FIJI Indians’ when they needed medical help.

s. helped students with their medical treatment of all types when they needed such help. This included getting a student admitted for the urgent treatment of his Kidney stone trouble which was threatening his Kidney.

t. helping the community members from India and South Asia with a concessional fees structure because they are part of my community [a service worth more than $50000/year].

u. met NSW Premier, VETAB authorities and NSW Education authorities on students’ issues

v. did all this work without any personal benefits or COMMISSIONs unlike some of our “leaders”. SEE my BLOG for more details.

w.1. trying to clean the community leadership and making them accountable.

w.2. Exposed commission taking by some leaders of an Indian community association in Sydney.

x. taking a leadership role against unfair portrayal of Australia as a Racist society by Indian media.

y. mentored medical doctors from India in regards to their training and registration issues including achieving a successful outcome for a house surgeon who was facing exclusion from the medical work due to her unfair treatment in a Sydney hospital. I worked very actively with this young doctor and her supervisors including Hospital administrators to get her into the internship at a different hospital. She passed her assessment and is now working in Sydney.

z.1. many other charity work in India including scholarships for poor students in India.

z.2. running a weekly Radio UMANG [Health radio] programme.

z.3. worked as a catalyst in resolving the issues between Indian consul General, Sydney and some businessmen with a successful outcome.

z.4. took an active and a leading  role in resolving the issues between Indus Age [after a controversial ad] and the community, and achieved a successful outcome [with an apology and a promise to not publish such ads again].

z.5. Formed a community committee [total 10 people in it] against Visa Capping Bill in May 2010 and lobbied with the Gov ministers and Media against this Bill which was very harmful to the students. Worked actively for this committee, visiting community gatherings, temples and Gurdwaras to collect signatures against this Bill. We also met the Immigration minister, Mr Chris Evans, asking him to not proceed with this Bill. See www.fairgo4internationalstudents.org.

z.6. Formed a national organisation called National Council of Indian Australians [NCIA, www.ncia.org.au] with participation from all over Australia [all states and territories representatives].

z.7. Spoke as a lead doctor in the Health Summit, organised by GOPIO, Sydney, educating/informing people on Health matters on 4th Dec, 2010.

z.8. Helped a family locate their son [International student] http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/a-dumped-bike-a-glimpse-on-sydney-stations-cctv-what-happened-to-indian-student-abhijeet-20101006-166rs.html

z.9. Raised $7100 as a team for Qld Flood relief on 28th Jan, 2011.

z.10. Took up the issue of attack on  Sri Mandir temple, Auburn and brought it to the national media.

z.11. Took up the matter involving HINDI in the Australian national draft curriculum-Languages and wrote to ACARA. 

z.12. Campaigned for removal of an incorrect map of India in DIAC website and succeeded.

I have not listed every thing I have done or am doing. Much more is being done presently.

I had to write this down because some of my detractors were making comments like “what has he done for the community”.

Just to let you know that it gives me a sense of satisfaction to do some community work beyond my medical work. 


Yadu Singh/Sydney/22nd November, 2010

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Dr Mukesh Haikerwal’s bashers sentenced for long prison terms:Australia says, “we will not accept the crimes”.

http://tinyurl.com/ykq7778

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/indians-abroad/Long-prison-sentences-to-attackers-of-Indian-origin-doctor-in-Australia/articleshow/5241987.cmshttp://www.indianexpress.com/news/long-prison-sentences-to-3-attackers-of-indian-doc-in-oz/543159/

I welcome the prison terms for the criminals who bashed Dr Mukesh  Haikerwal,  a  Melbourne GP. Dr Haikerwal is a well known medico who is an ex-president of Australian Medical Association [AMA]. Criminals Alfer Azzopardi, Michael Baltatzis and Sean Gabriel have been sentenced to 18 and a half years, 16 and half years and 9 years and 9 months long prison terms respectively by Judge Joe Gullaci.

A message will go with these long prison sentences that Australia will not tolerate the crimes.

 This Victoria Judge and Victoria police did a good job. The whole matter was investigated, prosecuted and sentences awarded in about 1 year which is quite fast. In many countries including India, it can take many years.

Thank you Justice Joe Gullaci. 

Thank you also to the police team which did a good investigation and the DPP [Director of public prosecution] for the effective prosecution.

Yadu Singh/Orlando*/18-11-09

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*I am attending American Heart Association Conference at Orlando, Florida currently.

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H1N1 Influenza or Swine Flu: a history of a celebrity patient!

http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2009/09/23/i-went-to-afghanistan-and-all-i-got-was-h1n1/

Worth a read. Dr Sanjay Gupta, CNN chief medical reporter describes what he went through.

H1N1 Vaccine [Panvax] is available and people at high risk should have this vaccine.

Info from www.healthemergency.gov.au

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Vaccine

 

Protect yourself, protect your community

A new FREE vaccine to protect Australians from pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza virus is ready. Panvax® H1N1 vaccine was registered by the Therapeutic Goods Administration on 18 September 2009.
There is clear evidence of serious or fatal health complications for some people who catch this flu. It is a new strain of flu that spreads easily from person to person, and experience in other countries shows that this is not just a winter flu – it could come back during spring and summer.

Vaccination is the safest response for the community, particularly as large numbers of people continue to be infected, and some are suffering serious health complications. By getting vaccinated you can protect yourself and help stop this flu spreading.

 

How a vaccine works

Panvax® H1N1 Vaccine contains extracts of protein from the new flu strain. Once you get vaccinated, proteins prompt your body to produce antibodies to protect you from the virus.
Protection after vaccination varies from person to person, but people generally start producing the antibodies that provide protection two weeks after the vaccination. Protection is expected to last for at least one year.

This vaccine does not contain live virus and cannot give you influenza.

People who should get immediate vaccination

All people can get vaccinated but some people are more at risk of severe outcomes if they catch this flu. Vaccination is strongly recommended for:

  • Pregnant women
  • Parents and guardians of infants up to six months old
  • People with underlying chronic conditions, including:
    • heart disease;
    • asthma and other lung diseases;
    • cancer;
    • diabetes;
    • kidney disease;
    • neurological disease;
    • other chronic conditions (talk to your GP)
  • People who are severely obese
  • Indigenous Australians
  • Frontline health workers
  • Community care workers

You should see your GP. This vaccine is free in Australia for those who are at high risk. I had a talk on this yesterday in my Radio Umang programme [98.5MHZ, Fridays, 8-9 PM]

Yadu Singh/Sydney/10-10-09

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Looking for the real leaders from Indian Australian community:where are they hiding?

Dear Indian Australians in Sydney

With the exposure of rorts/scams through the Australian media recently, a significant damage has happened to the image of our community. We can not be happy about it as it is about us. A beginning has to be made to mend/repair the harm to the image and standing of our community.

Recently, a fellow from our community committed suicide in Harris Park, NSW. There were some issues in regards to arranging transportation of the body to India.

Also, recently, a young man died unexpectedly in Sydney. I understand that it was due to a heart illness. The person in question was a heavy drinker and smoker. He was the only son of his parents.

Mental health and cardio-vascular health issues are significant problems in our community.

“Racism” is a much used term which gets used, rightly or wrongly, as an explanation for all sorts of problems. I know one who tried to employ this word when caught travelling on the city rail without a valid ticket!

Basically, we have issues involving health, settlement and leadership in our community which are very relevant for the new arrivals.

For obvious reasons, we will have to do something about these issues. We have to think about the best mechanism/tools to address these issues. We have to help our community where our help is needed. Our community leaders have a special responsibility in this regard.

I do not claim to be “Mr know it all” but I do not mind in speaking my mind. I recognise that others would have good ideas too.

I propose that;

1. we do not encourage the participation of those members of our community who are known to be involved in the exploitation of students or are parts of the scams/rorts, in the social functions/gatherings.

2. we do not support the business owners who fall under the category 1.

3. we have a meeting of community minded people and those who have impeccable integrity with good reputation soon. I propose the United Indian Associations [UIA] president to preside this meeting.  

4. we identify those people quickly who are operating as the leaders but have a clear conflict of interest in those matters and ask them to take a back seat.

5. we help set up the system which is there to help our students and Indian Australians when they are in desperate needs for the help. This should include the establishment of a Benevolent Fund.

6. we support UIA to grow and become an effective organisation by discussing, debating, reforming by bringing out the required changes. UIA Constitutional review is long overdue.

7. we urge UIA to become a more open and inclusive organisation by co-opting well-meaning and capable people from outside UIA in its committees.

8. we think about forming a new organisation with the required goals if UIA leaders are not able/wiling to reform UIA to make it a relevant and an effective body.

9. we take a stand against the rorts/scams and ask Australian Gov authorities to stamp out these activities quickly.

10. we start identifying people with leadership qualities and help them reach the places of influences including political offices ie MLAs/MLCs/MPs.

11. we re-energize the leadership by taking a back seat voluntarily if we have been leaders for a long period and have not been contributing meaningfully and encourage others with abilities to take the leadership roles in our associations.

12. we work actively to promote the pan-Indian identity of Indians and discourage the regional identities in Australia.

13. we do everything to promote a better understanding/integration among Indian Australians with themselves and with Australian community in general. The distrust has to go.

14. we work effectively and collaboratively to encourage SBS TV to have the programmes on India/Indian people, based on our numbers, as is the case with other communities.

15. we and Indian Govt Missions work collaboratively to have a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in a prominent place in Sydney and Melbourne.

16. we network, interact, co-ordinate and execute the health education programmes which are relevant to our communities.

Until recently, our Indian Australian community has had a great reputation. We want this reputation restored to our community.

We must promote only those who have a genuine ability to lead, understand the needs of our community and also understand the meaning of “conflict of interest”.

Let the seniors guide us in our goals! Let us learn from their experience and wisdom!

The community has to grow and we have to grow with it!

Let the debate begin!

Kind regards

Dr Yadu Singh

Sydney/03-10-09

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Indian student commits suicide in Australia:Who is accountable and what has to be done to prevent such incidents?

I was extremely saddened to hear the news of an Indian student who had committed suicide in Melbourne recently.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/indian-student-commits-suicide-in-australia/519725/

Mr Gurjinder Singh was a student of La Trobe University, doing accounting. He was in Australia only for 3 months. From the newspaper reports, I read that he was depressed about not finding a job in Australia. As we know, international students are allowed to work for 20 hours a week.

He was in his early 20s.

I have been thinking about him ever since I heard about his death. I feel for him and his situations before he committed suicide. I feel for the grief and loss for his parents in India. I have been trying to analyse what went in his mind before he came to this extreme point and took his life.

What happened here? How can a person become so severely depressed within so short time after arriving in Australia? Why his flat-mates and class-mates did not know about his situation? Why nothing could be done to prevent this tragedy?

Obviously, a lot of people failed here in averting a tragedy of this nature.

As I see it, following things come to my mind;

1. his classmates failed in their responsibility by not noticing his situation and turmoil and doing something about it,

2. his flat mates failed in their responsibility by again not noticing his situation and turmoil and doing something about it,

3. his University’s support system also could not do much to prevent this tragedy [may be they did what was needed to done but we are not aware of it],

4. his close relatives could not do anything to prevent his death. A young man felt this desperate and committed suicide and close relatives did not have a clue of his situation! Was this young man pushed into coming to Australia and had lots of expectation from his relatives but he was not helped with the essential things ie money which he needed to succeed in Australia?,

5. the education agents in India who did not inform him about the situation and ground realities re the jobs and the required money for his tuition etc,

6. his University system which could not prevent such a devastating tragedy by informing him at the orientation time about the health matters/systems including the psychological health issues which he could have accessed . There are help lines available which are very useful and are known to prevent suicides.  I recognise that his University might have informed him about all this at the time of orientation but he did not use the information. He could have gone to a GP. He had access to the health system in Australia as all students are required to have a health insurance. Alas, nothing of these happened!

7. I am sorry to say this but this young man also failed himself and his parents by taking this extreme step when he could have done many things to get him out of his situation. This could have been about calling help lines, speaking with his class mates/flat mates, speaking with counsellors, speaking with his parents and even returning to India if things were not going to change. Every thing would have been preferrable to the extreme step of committing suicide. A degree from a Uni in Australia and a possible PR in Australia are nothing when we compare them with the “Life”. By saying this, I am not minimising the grief/sadness which his near and dears ones are going through right now. I have a great deal of empathy with every one who is going through this grief but…….

 Life is always full of challenges and we need to face the challenges rather than taking the self-harm steps. Most times, we can deal with them ourselves but some times, we would need help from others and we must seek it from them.

Parents and students must be aware of the possibility that a job may not be available in Australia. Arrangements for ongoing living expenses and tuition fees must be made before travelling to Australia. Aus Gov authorities in the relevant Embassy/High Commission must make it amply clear that students can work for upto 20hours/week but jobs in Australia can not be the main or the only source of funding the expenses during their stay in Australia.

To be honest with you, I believe that students should not come to Australia if they do not have a capability to arrange funding for their fees and living expenses without a job in Australia.

Depression is a common problem and people from all age groups, ethnicity and circumstances can suffer from depression. Indians are no exception. It is eminently treatable. No body needs to suffer without the help, support and treatment for it. We of course need to let others know what is going on inside us. Many a times, others would not know about the turmoil inside if we do not seek help, talk about it or let them know what is going on inside us. 

 Unfortunately, there is a stigma attached to the mental health issues and anecdotally, this may be more true in the Indian community.

In this regard, I admire the courage which was shown by Jeff Kennett [former Vic Premier], Andrew Robb [Liberal Front Bencher] and Geoff Gallop [ former premier of Western Australia] when they came out with their depression and sought help.

To prevent any loss of life in this manner, we all must show compassion and look after our friends, class mates, flat mates, relatives or any one whom we know if we find that they are having difficulties in these matters. We need to talk with our close ones and share with them the difficulties we are experiencing.

It does not help and it is not correct if we point a finger of blame, to the premier of Victoria, Mr John Brumby by making him responsible for this suicide as has been done by a non-student “leader” in Melbourne. This is ridiculous. This “leader” is talking nonsense and is playing useless politics. He should be ashamed of himself.

A very sad situation has happened and we all including the Gov agencies need to think about the preventive measures which must be in place to avert such deaths, knowing that International students are under lots of pressure, do not have the traditional support mechanism for them in Australia and some of them may not be able to cope with the circumstances. Schools, TAFE and Universities must review their orientation systems to make sure there is information on health including mental health issues in their orientation programmes.

The education providers must have a system of “student co-ordinators” who should have a close interaction with the students. Pastoral care is a service which is extremely essential in relation to International students.

 State Governments must ensure that the education providers in their territories do have enough information on these matters in these programmes and have adequate pastoral care mechanism.

Indian associations must review what they can do to help Indian students when they are having difficulties in dealing with the situations/circumstances in Australia.

There is a significant role for the media in India and in Australia to take up the issue of mental health among International students. Many of them go through a very difficult environment. As Indian students do access the ethnic Indian media in Australia regularly, it can and should do a significant job by making people aware of the mental health and help system available in Australia. Kumud Merani [SBS Radio], Pawan Luthra [Indian Link], Rohit Revo [The Indian] and Dinesh Malhotra [Bharat Times] have the instrument which can be very effective in this regard. After all, we do have the great systems like LIFE LINE and BEYOND BLUE in Australia but this may not be known to our students.

We all have to work together to save lives of those who are going through a difficult time in their lives!

We all need to work together in all sorts of manners to help our students!

Dr Yadu Singh/Sydney/23rd Sept, 2009.

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RADIO UMANG, Sydney, NSW 98.5 MHZ, 8-9 PM, Fridays [Host- Dr Yadu Singh]

Radio UMANG is

* a Radio programme for Health related topics

* hosted by Dr Yadu Singh who is a medical practitioner in Sydney

* broadcast  at 98.5MHZ , between 8-9 PM every Friday

* broadcast in English

* contactable on 02 9747 0577 between 8-9 PM on Fridays

* contactable via  singhyadu@gmail.com

* looking for your feedback.

Thank you

Dr Yadu Singh

PS: I have stopped this programme. Yadu Singh/03-08-10

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RADIO UMANG 98.5 MHZ/FRIDAYS/8-9 PM: Health Radio in English.

Hello friends

We have a new Radio programme called RADIO  UMANG on 98.5 MHZ every Fridays between 8-9 PM. We talk about health matters which are relevant to Indians and South Asians in Sydney. We also take up community matters.

I am its host and have had many doctors in my programme.

We have already covered Diabetes,Hypertension, insomnia/sleep hygiene, depression, women’s health, immunization, heart diseases, sleep apnea, acidity/peptic ulcer/reflux, back pain, osteoporosis, relaxation and heart attack.

Following doctors have participated in this programme;

Dr Yadu Singh

Dr Hem Rao

Dr Shailja Chandra

Dr Ray Pallath

Dr Paddy Singh

Dr Nadia Tejani

Dr Geoffrey Needham

More issues would be covered.

It is broadcast in English.

Do tune in at 98.5 MHZ every Friday between 8-9 PM.

Yadu Singh/Sydney/02-10-o9

#This prgramme is not operational NOW.#