CHENNAI: Is there a risk of getting cancer from oral sex? What’s the difference between PCOS and PCOD? Can toilet seats in public places infect you with sexually transmitted diseases? We live in times where Google has the answer to everything but lacks an algorithm to sort the good advice from the bad one. And the chaos of contrasting medical information, which unfolded during the COVID-19 outbreak last year, made it worse for us to tell fluff from facts.
Taking a cue from this, doctors across India took on the added responsibility of using social media to fight the growing misinformation about various aspects of healthcare. CE reached out to six medical practitioners, who have turned to Instagram to debunk myths, advocate right medical practices, and create a climate of awareness.
Dr Niveditha Manokaran,
dermatologist and venereologist
As the popular Bollywood number ‘Tere sang yaara’ plays in the background, Dr Niveditha Manokaran explains the significance of making a sustainable switch to menstrual cups in a crisp 15-second reel. This is just one of the many informative posts uploaded on her account since April 2020. All in an effort to stir healthy conversations and spread awareness. “I was introduced to Instagram during the pandemic and little did I know that it had such a tremendous reach among the millennials and Gen Z. It’s a friendly medium to have two-sided conversations. I’ve also been dabbling with YouTube, podcasts, webinars and live sessions to connect with a wider audience. Sexual wellness foundations have been welcoming with opportunities for collaborations,” says Manokaran, who works as a clinician in sexual and reproductive, and HIV medicine in Sydney.
Discussions on youth health, contraception awareness for the underprivileged and high-risk individuals, masturbation, sexually transmitted diseases and safe sex practices... nothing is a taboo for Manokaran. “When I moved from Chennai to Australia many years back, I was exposed to a whole new world of sex education. But, in our country, many sensitive topics are still spoken in hush-hush. I wanted to give back to our country by addressing the problems at the grassroots. People of the age group 15-42 have been accessing my posts regularly. The main goal is to bring acceptance to unlearn misconceptions,” shares Manokaran.
Instagram account @dr_nive_untaboos
Dr Janani Manoharan,
obstetrician-gynaecologist
“Women are well-informed. Unless we normalise conversations around sex, just the fear of being judged is going to keep them away from seeking help. There’s no denying that a consultation with a gynaecologist can be stressful if it’s an elderly doctor because of the generation gap. But the younger brigade of doctors, these days, are more approachable,” asserts Janani Manoharan from Bengaluru, who’s been frequently having live interactions with fellow consultants on the holistic well-being of women.
While her primary area of attention is contraception and safe sexual practices, Janani is also using her platform to talk about mental health, menstruation and marital problems. “Juggling in-personal consultation, virtual appointments and social media interaction is no easy task. We’re putting our best foot forward so that we can create a better future,” she shares.
Instagram account @drjanani_obs
Dr Prateek Makwana,
clinical embryologist
“What’s the point in having all the knowledge and not sharing it?All the more if you’re from the medical fraternity and the whole world is tiding through tough times,” shares embryologist Dr Prateek Makwana. His videos on trending conversations about infertility and reproductive health have received quite a following. His latest post, in collaboration with the YP Foundation, on The Medical Termination of Pregnancy amendment bill 2021 garnered appreciation from fellow doctors.
“It’s a tricky situation, particularly in a developing and touchy field like fertility where there’s still plenty of studies left to be completed. Ensure you follow authentic and medically qualified people,” he warns. As much as the Jodhpur-based doctor is glad that the younger generation is informed, there’s still a long way to go with people living in rural areas. “We need to come out of our bubbles or important conversations like this will remain buried under the carpet,” he notes.
Instagram account @fertility_scribbles
Dr Tanaya Narendra, embryologist
It’s been over a year since Dr Tanaya Narendra started exploring Instagram as a potential platform to battle misinformation and offer verified guidance. “One of my first posts was for Menstrual Hygiene Day. It created a tangible impact among women. Around 300 of them switched over to menstrual cups after watching the video. It’s nice to have loyal followers who place that trust in you,” shares Tanaya, based out of Allahabad.
From vaccines and vaginal health to menstruation and masturbation, employing infographics, gifs, regular interactive quizzes, live streaming, and QnA sessions, Tanaya knows how to put the fun in funk. “While it’s been a great platform, trolling continues to be a challenge. Content theft also tends to happen when posts are shared but due credits are not given. To make Instagram a conducive place for learning, we need to protect the creators first. Things will fall in place eventually after that. Having said that, it’s heartening to see active participation from youngsters who are keen on learning. Earlier, it was common for people to throw absurd questions, but now everybody is reading and that’s a positive trend,” informs Tanaya.
Instagram account @dr_cuterus
Dr Riddhima Shetty,
obstetrician - gynaecologist
The lockdown came as a much-needed opportunity for Dr Riddhima Shetty to put her long-time contemplation into practice. “Dealing with patients daily made me realise that there’s a lack of basic awareness about reproductive health and sexual hygiene. I wanted to make basic health education easily available to all, at the click of a button. It is very encouraging when I now meet young women, who come proactively, tracking their menstrual cycles and taking care of their lifestyle — things they’ve learnt from Instagram! A lot of women come and say they would like to get a routine check-up done along with a Pap smear,” says the Mumbai-based doctor.
Social media has allowed her the space to establish an easy connection with patients and get honest feedback. “My patients follow me on Instagram and I often post about them, when they have a successful pregnancy or a well-managed PCOS, which also gives them a sense of victory. I hope to give free access to basic reproductive health information to all, so the general public, especially women, are more in control of their health and well-being,” she emphasises.
Instagram account @friendly_neighbourhood_obgyn
Dr Yuvraj Jadeja,
fertility consultant and obstetrician-gynaecologist
Is it safe for menstruating women to take the vaccine? When can you have sex post-Covid infection? What does PCOS mean for the LGBTQIA+ community? These are only a handful of questions that Dr Yuvraj Jadeja has been encountering from his patients and followers since the pandemic broke out. “Google and ‘wellness’ influencers who are non-medical practitioners are no substitute for doctors. There’s overwhelming information on social media platforms. Most of which have factual inaccuracies. As medical professionals, we want to provide information that is reliable, reassuring and credible,” assures Dr Yuvraj.
Pregnancy, surrogacy, infertility, queer sexual health, media and its portrayal of sensitive topics... Yuvraj explains everything under the sun through simple posts, IGTV videos, reels, and memes. “We doctors share a good camaraderie in terms of sharing content. We help and cross-check each other’s posts to ensure the right information goes out. It’s encouraging to see men and women warm up and reach out to us in private chats to get their queries cleared. Men are still hesitant but we’re hoping these posts give them the confidence to open up. Reaching out to tier 2 and 3 cities is still a work in progress but we’re almost there,” says the Vadodara-based doctor.
Instagram account @doctoryuvi