left home on a cold windy morning on Thursday last (25th Feb 2016); arrived in Mumbai on a warm early morning .This was quite a challenge to the system. Met my fellow VTT member, Dr Ishita Mishra at Mumbai airport on Friday on way to Bhuj. We arrived on Friday evening and was met by representatives from Adani Hospital and Postgraduate institute, Head of the Department and Medical Superintendent Dr Nimish Pandya, including staff members Dr Mukherjee, Ganesh Khandekar.

There was nothing princely about our accommodation in Prince Hotel in centre of Bhuj; the staff was nice, service was good except that the hotel had the usual maintenance problems with intermittent internet access, reduced water supply etc.

Saturday was spent on checking and preparing equipment, lecture hall and break out rooms etc. .We met our administrative support (Nisha, Niva, Hardik, Dharmesh), and spoke to PDG Dr Rao, Medical Director, who was away in Rotary Assistant Governors training.

I made a presentation on CALMED including the details of the project in 3 sites in India. The audience consisted of Rotarians, medical school staff, nursing students, trainees and master trainers. I gave good wishes from our District Governor Ray Dixon. The course started on Sunday 28th with pre-test assessment of knowledge and skills followed by lectures, videos, pictorial charts and discussion groups. Eleven master trainers assisted with the training of 28 trainees from 5 target Districts of Gujarat. Monday 29th Feb, the course continued with lectures, videos, discussion and breakout sessions.

Some breakout sessions such as those for Partograph (Graphic assessment and decision making programme in labour) and also on surgical repair of childbirth injury, were particularly important. The training continues with the master trainers who all are rather exhausted at the end of the day, but very enthusiastic and happy for participating in the course. I am certainly enjoying the constant support given by my VTT member, Rotarian Past President Dr Upendra Vasavada and Dr Ishita Mishra, more about them in my next blog.