JOURNEY OF ALL INDIA ASSOCIATION OF MEDICAL SOCIAL WORK PROFESSIONALS

BACKGROUND In the period when our Medical Social Work professionals were putting their best foot forward in all aspects of medical setting contributing in patient health care in the medical set ups all over the country. There came in, the idea to bring up a platform for the recognition for our Medical Social Work professionals and improve the professional competence in the country. With the extensive initiatives by Visionaries, The All India Association of Medical Social Work Professionals (AIAMSWP) was formed on 13th July 2009 in the meeting convened by Sh. Pankaj Singh, Shri Sushil Mishra, Shri Ajay Kumar Singh and Shri Aftab Alam Shah under chairmanship of Shri R.C. Mishra, Chief Medical Social Service Officer, AIIMS, New Delhi in Seminar Hall, AIIMS, New Delhi. The original 49 founder members included Dr. O.P. Giri, Shri A.K. Jain from PGIMER, Chandigarh, Ms. Rashmi Sharma, Shri Sushil Kumar Mishra, from Safdarjung Hospital Delhi, Shri Pankaj Singh from SGPGI, Lucknow, Dr. Anil Kumar Goswami, Shri Aftab Alam Shah, Shri B.R. Sekhar from AIIMS, New Delhi, Ms. Gurmit Kaur from Jammu, Ms. Sanju Das from Amritsar, Shri Ajay Kumar Singh, Shri Narendra Singh Tomer from Meerut, Dr. Girish D. Trivedi, Shri Amar Vyas from Ahmadabad, Ms. N. Jeevanmala from Imphal. Ms. Rashmi Sharma, Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi served the organisation as first President, Shri Ajay Kumar Singh the Vice President of the AIAMSWP. Dr. Anil Goswami was elected as the Founder General Secretary and Shri Sushil Mishra & B.R. Sekhar Joint Secretary, Shri Aftab Alam Shah Treasurer. Dr. O.P. Giri was first elected Zonal Secretary (North), Shri Pankaj Singh Zonal Secretary (Central), Dr. Girish D. Trivedi, Zonal Secretary (West) and Ms. N. Jeevanmala Devi (North-East Zone). The Association was registered at New Delhi on 26 September, 2011 under the Societies Act XXI of 1860. The Memorandum of Association had eight members who included Dr. Anil Kumar Goswami, Dr. O.P. Giri, Shri Ajay Kumar Singh, Mrs. Gurmeet Kaur Bhatia, Ms. Sanju Das, Dr. U.P. Jagdale, Dr. Girishchandra D. Trivedi and Dr. Narendra Kr. Singh.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES

• To improve the standards of service, teaching, training and research on the subject of Medical and Psychiatric Social Work at all levels.
•  To promote research in the specialty of Medical and Psychiatric Social Work, and the effective application of the knowledge acquired in teaching, training, research and services.
• To develop cooperation in teaching, training, research, and service between the departments of Medical and Psychiatric Social Work of various Medical Colleges/ Institutions in the country.
•  To facilitate co-ordination amongst the departments of Medical and Psychiatric Social Work and other departments of Medical Colleges/ Institutions and Health Agencies/ Organizations.
•  To promote welfare of the professionals of Medical and Psychiatric Social Work.
• To publish a journal which will be in furtherance of these aims, and will be the official organ of the Society.

ACHIEVEMENTS

• The year 2014 was an important landmark in the history of AIAMSWP when the First National Seminar/Conference of the Association was held at PGIMER, Chandigarh on 23th March 2014 under the leadership of Dr. O. P. Giri.
• Subsequently, the Annual National Seminar/Conference of the Association were organised on a periodical basis in the country like previously held at AIIMS New Delhi, Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, KGMU Lucknow, GMCH Chandigarh and JIPMER, Puducherry.
• Another feather in the cap of AIAMSWP the advent of E journal started in the year January, 2019 with Dr. Narendra Kumar Singh, CIP, Ranchi, as the first chief editor.
• “Indian Journal of Health Social Work” is an open access to half yearly e-journal which provides a platform to disseminate information and new updates among Social Work Practitioners working in the field healthcare. Along with focusing on the quantity also takes care of the quality of the research pursuits.
•  One another publication is being published by AIAMSWP in the form of a newsletter. The newsletter will give information of activities of AIAMSWP. The first Editor of this newsletter is Shri. Sanjay Bhonge from FWTRC, Mumbai.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Though AIAMSWP has come a long way and gradually achieving its goals, but still the journey is long. The future goals will be:

• • To establish practice guidelines for Medical and Psychiatric Social Work Professionals.
  • To organise CME (Social Work)/ workshop/ training programme for Medical and Psychiatric Social Work Professional regularly.
  • To develop network with al l the departments of Medical, Psychiatric Social Work and other agencies involved in similar work and objectives.