Scholarship Recipients

In 2012 there were so many worthy applicants for the Trudi Szallasi Memorial Scholarship that we decided to award two Scholarships.

Megha Sunil Mamulwar (India)

Dr Mamulwar is a medical doctor in Pune, India. She has completed her doctoral studies in Community Medicine and developed an increased interest in breastfeeding and lactation. She has also trained in breastfeeding counselling for antenatal and postnatal mothers and has experience as a Programme Manager for the NGO Institute of Health Management, part of the Reproductive and Child Health Services in Pune.

During her medical studies, Megha became interested in the immense benefit of human milk for premature and sick infants. She has taken this interest further by working towards the establishment of a Human Milk Bank in a municipal hospital in her city where it will be routine practice to provide pasteurised breastmilk to all neonates who are not able to receive their own mother’s milk.

She is currently Assistant Professor in the Department of Community Medicine in Pune, working as a breastfeeding counsellor in a paediatric clinic and even though breastfeeding is normal practice in India, appropriate breastfeeding practices are often not followed and Megha hopes that her work when she qualified as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant will help to educate mothers with scientific information about breastfeeding which will help them to understand its importance.

Health e-Learning proudly supported Megha's goals by helping her study during 2012/13 and successfully achieve certification as an IBCLC in 2013. Congratulations Megha!

Shela Akbar Ali Hirani (Pakistan)

Shela is the Senior Paediatric Instructor at the Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery in Pakistan. She has degrees in science, Advanced Diploma in Human Development and a Master of Science in Nursing. In Pakistan, there has been a gradual decline in breastfeeding and increase in child mortality due to diarrhoea, malnutrition and other infectious diseases. Over the past 9 years, Shela has addressed these concerns in several research projects and international publications on topics related to human lactation and maternal and child health such as breastfeeding and workforce as well as aspects of kangaroo mother care and effects of humanitarian emergencies on infant health. She is currently conducting two research projects related to maternal and child mental health.

In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Shela also provides mentorship to the paediatric faculty and masters nursing students, and provides clinical care, supervision and counselling at the outpatient paediatric unit of the Aga Khan University Hospital. Once certified as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Shela intends to work in collaboration with government and non-government organisations as a change agent to introduce practical measures to address the premature cessation of breastfeeding by continuing research, introduce expanded lactation modules into the university nursing programmes, and develop education models for pre and postnatal mothers.

Health e-Learning proudly supported Shela's goals by helping her study during 2012/13 and successfully achieve certification as an IBCLC in 2013. Congratulations Shela!