were barred from attending to the mother , lest the ‘ deity got angry .’ As a consequence , there were a lot of pregnancy-related illnesses and deaths . Despite these superstitions , my father supported my endeavours . Maybe , that ’ s I wanted to become a gynaecologist from the outset ,” she recalls .
After serving in Srinagar for a few years and gathering experience , Dr Landol joined the Sonam Norboo Memorial Hospital , Leh , in 1979 as the region ’ s first practising gynaecologist . What she remembers are the severe conditions under which doctors had to work in the only district hospital .
“ Today , it is difficult to comprehend the difficulties that doctors had to undergo while performing surgeries . The facilities were a bare minimum and deliveries would take place in freezing temperatures . A doctor had to be versatile , improvising with equipment during child delivery . There was no regular electricity , and the heating system was non-existent . During winters , we would use a bukhari , a wood burning stove , which is particularly toxic during child delivery because of the emissions . Using anaesthesia was also a problem near the bukhari since it ’ s highly inflammable ,” recalls Dr Landol .
However , she stresses that what the doctors at SNM Hospital did have was a solid camaraderie and would help each other out whenever possible , even during certain procedures .
Take the example of the heating system .
With the Bukhari heating system proving to be unviable , Dr Landol looked to the traditional hamam structure imported from Kashmir . This allowed the doctors to work under optimum temperatures during the biting winters when temperatures would go way below zero .
“ Thanks to contributions from foreign NGOs , we made hamam rooms for both the operation theatre and labour room . Things began to change slowly , but even then we didn ’ t have proper running water . But we continued to strive for these facilities , pursuing the local government . Eventually , our then administrator Dr Smanla , went before the government requesting for a heating system . After a long tussle over many years , the government finally installed a central heating system at the hospital ,” she recalls .
That was only part of the problem .
What she saw around her , in terms of women ’ s health in the early days , especially on issues of body and food hygiene , deeply bothered her .
To begin with , as a consequence of freezing conditions in this cold desert , people would rarely bathe . Some would bathe once a month and eat food that was out for days . This is deeply problematic , and even more so in the case of pregnant women .
Another major concern , which went beyond particular ailments , hygiene or child delivery , was shedding the social stigma associated with women talking about their health problems . That hesitation eventually came down slowly , particularly when they saw a lady doctor before them who specialised in these issues .
With assistance from fellow doctors , Dr Landol had to communicate to them that they did not have to be ashamed of these health problems , and urged them to express themselves freely . �
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