Dr. Rathi Devi's book on menopause released

Mangalore, July 2: More men than women should read the book on menopause as it will help them understand women better, especially when the latter are going through it, said Shahnaz, Chief Editor, Anupama Kannada monthly. She was speaking in the city on Sunday at an event to launch a book titled Muttina Mussanjeyalli.

Dr. Rathi Devi, Professor, Kasturba Medical College (KMC) and author of the book, said that women must go for annual medical checkups to prevent bigger problems later. The book tells readers how to manage the physical and health changes in women during menopause.

She said that women going through menopause might get irritable, angry, upset or cry over small things. It was a time when they felt that they were alienated and that their husbands and children did not care for them. For the husband and the family to understand women better when they were going through the phase, they must know about menopause and its effects on women, she said.

Ms. Shahnaz said that combining the study of medicine with writing was an unusual combination. Harikrishna Punaroor, former president of State Kannada Sahitya Parishat, who inaugurated the event, said that a person might have wealth but one could not buy health. He said that women, with ageing, had to counter a host of health issues with menopause.

Dr. Rathi Devi's mentor, Chakrapani Udupa, former principal of Poornaprajna Pre-University College, Admar, and his wife, Shakuntala, were felicitated.

K. Mohandas Bhandary, Vice-President, Indian Medical Association Karnataka Chapter, said 50 per cent of the patients did not need medicines and they just needed a good word told to them.

Dr. Shakunthala M.M., Medical Superintendent, Government Lady Goschen Hospital, said that Dr. Rathi Devi had become a doctor after facing several challenges and obstacles.