Two ICMR awards went to two PGI doctors: Dr Deepak Kumar Bhasin from department of Gastroenterology for his outstanding research in the field of gastroenterology and Dr Sandeep Grover from the Department of Psychiatry whose work on the care of schizophrenics drew attention of the jury. Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad presented the awards in New Delhi. Dr Bhasin received the Basanti Devi Amir Chand Prize and Dr Sandeep Grover, was presented with Tilak Venkoba Rao Award for 2007.
Dr Bhasin received the award for his research work on “Management of multiple and large pseudocysts by endoscopic transpapillary drainage alone”. Dr Bhasin’s main areas of research are on helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that causes a range of gastrointestinal infections; and gastrointestinal endoscopy along with pancreatic pathologies and their endoscopic management. Earlier, he has been honoured with fellowship of the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (FASGE) and the National Academy of Medical Sciences (FAMS), Parke Davis oration and the Olympus Mitra award for endoscopy
Dr Grover, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, PGI, Chandigarh, was awarded for his research on the “Impact of psychiatric disorders on patients and caregivers”. His main areas of research has been cost of care of schizophrenia, needs of patients and family, attitude and knowledge about various psychiatric treatment modalities, quality of life of patients and caregivers, burden and caregiving experience. His work on cost of illness of schizophrenia shows that cost of treatment of schizophrenia is similar to that of cost of treatment of diabetes mellitus. His work on attitude towards treatment shows that patients and caregivers of mentally ill patients have positive attitude towards electroconvulsive therapy, however, have limited knowledge about the treatment. Further, his work on attitude towards psychotropic medications shows that negative attitude leads to poor treatment compliance. He has also shown that caregiving is associated with both negative and positive consequences for the caregivers.