Presidential Address

Dr.K.V.Devadas


Dear friends,
I am greatly honoured and proud for having been elected as the president of AOI Kerala State branch. Let me express my heartfelt gratitude to all the members of AOI Kerela state branch for electing me unanimously to this coveted post of our association.
An unanimous election symbolises the unity and strength of our organisation which is the need of the hour. I promise that I will try my level best to keep the unity and dignity of our association with your help, guidance and blessings.
The annual state conference of AOI has returned to Thrissur after a gap of 6yrs. Incidentally, it is here that a strong concerted move initiated in 2001, formed a united Kerala State Branch by amalgamating the erstwhile Kerala Branch representing the Travancore-Cochin regions and the Malabar Branch. The move bore fruit and the results are there for all of us to see. The united Kerala State Branch of AOI has grown from strength to strength over the last seven years, after the inaugural conference held at Kozhikode in 2002. There after we have been holding regular well attended Annual Conferences which have provided a platform for scientific and social interactions amongst Kerala’s eight hundred E.N.T Surgeons.
Our MOTTO and THEME:-
This year our motto and theme is “Friendship, Membership and Leadership”.
You have to make good friendship with your fellow men and enrol them as life members and encourage them to become the leaders of tomorrow. As membership is our strength, an intensive membership drive has to be launched to enrol as many life members as possible within a short period. This is essential for Kerala’s voice to be heard loud and clear at the national level as well as for our ENT surgeons to get the benefits of accruing from membership of National AOI, like receiving the Indian Journal of Otolaryngology, getting information and intimations regarding various CME programmes, workshops and conferences being held in various parts of India and abroad. These will help us to be better informed and trained ENT surgeons, which, in turn, will benefit us and this society as a whole by way of our ability to provide better service to our patients.
The first qualified ENT Surgeon in India Dr. K. P. Raman Pillai FRCS was from Kerala. That was in 1922, 88 yrs ago. A quarter of a century after that in 1947, when the National E.N.T Association was formed, it’s first President was also another Keralite , Dr. P. V. Cherian, who was based in Chennai. Thereafter, there has been no AOI National President from Kerala. It is high time that we make an organised effort to see that a National A.O.I president is elected from Kerala.
PUBLIC ACTIVITIES OF AOI:
We have to give much importance to conduct public health activities. Most of the chapters are regular in their work.
1. Medical Camps.
2. Public Health Awareness Programmes.
3. C.M.E.
4. Seminars.
5. Cultural and Social functions.
CARE OF CONGENITALY DEAF CHILDREN:
Identification of congenitally deaf children and taking them back to the world of speech and hearing is one of our major measures in practice. Incidence of congenitally deaf children is on the increase.
Early detection and management is the prime requirement. In the case of totally deaf children cochlear implantation is the only remedy to take them back to the world of hearing. Cochlear implantation should be done at about the age of 2 yrs, so that the deaf child can acquire speech. Hence early identification of deaf children by audiological tests, immediately after they are born is essential. First stage will be to establish screening centres with OAE in all major hospitals for the detection of congenitally deaf born children, then, we should start an insurance scheme, involving all live births in our state. Government participation and an insurance scheme to meet the expenses of cochlear implantation will be the only solution to tackle this major problem.
PROJECTS OF AOI:
For our members and their family we can launch Health, Accident, Pension and Family Benefit schemes.
I solicit your whole hearted cooperation, support and good creative suggestions to make the year fruitful to the association and the society as well.
Thank you
Long Live AOI

Dr.K.V.Devadas
President AOI Kerala State Branch