If Hansa Gunessee had to be described in one word, it would undoubtedly be ?avant-garde?. Thanks to the ?first woman? gynaecologist in Mauritius, the country has learned how to be more modern and open. It must not have been an easy challenge? But she accepted it, like the many others that her career brought to her.

?When I arrived in Mauritius in 1967, there were no other female gynaecologists. And it was like this for more than twenty years.? It was quite hard to leave India where she had worked for a few years ? where so many women did that job and were respected ? and be confronted with the ?macho? attitudes of the men who dominated the sector here. ?I was not happy when I arrived. But then I started working and that ? with my patients ? helped me to settle.?

Hansa Gunessee is a workaholic. She has dedicated her whole life to her profession. ?Since the age of three, I knew I wanted to be a doctor. I often heard my father telling my older brothers that they should become doctors. My father owned a pharmacy so I have always been in a medical environment. Then, when I was studying in India, some teachers were gynaecologists. This motivated me? I knew that was what I really wanted to do.? So, after completing her studies and marrying Dr Gunessee in India, she followed him to Mauritius? where she couldn?t have imagined what was in store for her?

Two years into working for the Ministry of Health in Mauritius, she was asked to go to Rodrigues with her husband because there was no doctor there. ?In Mauritius, it was something new to put a knife in someone?s abdomen? Now, try and imagine what it was like in Rodrigues where the only two doctors were my husband and me.? Although this was not the easiest part of her life ? there was no off-duty, it was a 24-hour job ? Hansa Gunessee has wonderful memories of her time there. ?We were asked to go there for six months but, as no one wanted to take up the job, we stayed for one year. But the people showed so much gratitude and kindness to us that it was a really good experience.?

When they returned to Mauritius, they did not know there was yet another challenge waiting for them. The Hopital du Nord had just opened and, as nothing was ready, no other doctors wanted to work there. ?There was a lack of staff and it was far from easy. But it was great as we did every ?first? intervention there. During this time, my photograph was put on a stamp while I was working in the operating theatre!?

After two years, her husband decided to do his post-graduate studies, so they left for Australia first and then Dublin. But, a few months later, she received a telegram from the ministry of Health : ?We would be grateful if you could come back as we have a shortage of staff.? Sad to return alone but ready to face the challenge ? the more so as many doctors thought she would not be fit for the job ? she worked hard to show everyone that women were as good as men. How satisfactory it must have been to hear her colleagues saying, ?You?re making us ashamed because you work so hard.?

Hansa Gunessee has a strong personality. She might seem a bit ?reserved? at first sight but this lady is full of humanity and admits that ?even after 30 years, I feel the same pleasure and joy after a delivery when I give the baby to the mother??