Sr. Helen Fernandes Passes Away in Hyderabad
by Kishoo Barkur
Hyderabad, Feb 8: Dr.Sr. Helen Consilia Fernandes of Moodahadu passed away at Vijayamarie Hospital, Hyderabad on 7th Febraury 06.10 pm at after a prolonged illness. She is the sister of Dr.Gabriel Fernandes a renowned Scientist at US serving as Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Sr. Helen was born to Late Mrs. Assumpta Fernandes and the late Mr. Jerome Diego Fernandes in Thenkabettu, of Moodahadu village, Barkur, on 14th August, 1941.
She completed her SSLC in 1959. Officially, she joined this religious order of Sisters of Charity on 25th May 1960. Her date of Vestiture was the 25th March 1962. She professed her first profession on 2nd October 1964 and her final profession was on 19th March 1970. The congregation sent her for teacher's training, which she completed in 1961. Because of her academic excellence, and her devotion to God and compassion to human beings, the congregation might have noticed her potential of her becoming a physician. They took the risk of educating her.
She was sent to college and completed her Pre University Certificate in 1963. She went to Karnataka Medical College, Hubli, where she obtained her MBBS in the year 1969. She obtained her D.G.O. (Diploma in Obstetric & Gynecology) from Osmania University, Hyderabad. In the year 1977 she obtained the Certificate in Hospital Administration. She obtained the MD Degree in Obstetrics & Gynecology from Osmania University, Hyderabad in the year 1980, which qualified her to train other doctors to obtain their MD degrees as well. She also completed her Post Graduate Certificate in Psychological Counseling in 1989.
She started rendering continuous medical service in Vijay Marie Hospital located in Saifabad, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India, as a Junior Medical Officer and Resident Medical Officer in the years 1971 to 1974. From 1975 to this day she has been working as the Head of the department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and as Medical Superintendent of the same Hospital.
The Meritorious Service Award was conferred upon her for her services in Mother and Child Health. This prestigious award was presented to her by Shri N. Janardhan Reddy, the Honorable Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, on April 15, 1991. Indira Gandhi's National Integration Award presented for the services rendered to Mother and Child health care, in the year 1996.Millennium Excellence Award on World AIDS Day for the services rendered to HIV +ve and AIDS patients, in the year 1999.
For the last 26 years Dr. Sr. Consilia Fernandes was an unique person at Vijay Marie Hospital. With her soft-spoken, gentle behavior, her vast experience in Obstetrics and Gynecology and her great listening power, she was a mother figure in this institution.
She was the best advertisement for the hospital. One can never forget her hard labor, working day and night, attending every night call, doing Cesarean sections, and teaching junior doctors the management of complicated cases in the labor room. It is silent, unnoticed, hard work for God and her patients in an atmosphere of calm and serenity. The Indira Gandhi Integration Memorial Forum in appreciation of her services to the community hosted a celebration in her honor in the community hall with profusion of words of appreciation and garlands and trophy.
Funeral is at the Chapel of Vijayamarie Hospital, Saifabad, Hyderabad on 9th February at 03.00 pm.