Mahantesh Karoshi is a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the Barnet Hospital of Royal Free NHS Foundation Trust, London. He has written four stand alone textbooks in the field of Women’s Health and this has been distributed worldwide for free through Global Library of Women’s Medicine.
He believes in technology which can positively bring change to public health and with that ethos in mind, he and his two more colleagues set up a company called Zottii in 2019 (https://www.zottii.com/). The objective of Zottii is to deliver prescription medicines for free in London. It turns out to be the best put efforts for Covid-19 Pandemic. In 2006, HRH Princess Anne, launched Mahantesh’s book on Postpartum Haemorrhage at the Royal Society of Medicine.
Karoshi worked in 2007 as Volunteer Obstetrician to work in Ethiopia’s Gimbie Adventist Hospital where he covered all aspects of Obstetric and Gynaecological emergencies working with limited resources as well as teaching healthcare professionals.His Textbook of Obesity and Pregnancy won the Highly Commended Award from British Medical Association Book Awards (2009)
In 2010, Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, awarded him the prestigious Bernhard Baron Travelling Fellowship. This gave him the opportunity to work in University of Buenos Aires on the advanced surgical management of morbidly adherent placental disorders. A serious condition that can happen in women with multiple caesarean deliveries.
1) Which place, or city or country do you most feel at home in?
London, London city gave me an opportunity to cherish, which I was longing all through till I came to the UK. I am a proud Indian, but the discrimination I faced at every level was very obstructive and was not progressing and the barriers I have to pass through were immensely difficult.
2) What are your proudest achievements?
My proudest achievement was my book launch by HRH Princess Anne in 2006 and making friends with the then Queens Gynaecologist Sir Marcus
Setchell.
3) What inspires you?
A challenge which is not explored well. I refer this to my day to day clinical practice, be it in NHS or in the private, a complex medical condition, where many doctors have given their best, but still patient continues with the problem she presented with. This is my day to day inspiration.
4) What has been biggest obstacle in your career?
Coming from a poor family and working my way through the barriers and get to where I wanted to be.
5) Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date?
Late Prof. Louis Keith of Northwestern University, Chicago, USA. Prof. Keith was inspirational in the sense that, he valued my ideas and he constantly provided the support I needed to excel in my career. With Prof. Keith's help, I manage to publish four textbooks in the field of women's health for healthcare professionals all over the world.
6) What is the best aspect about your current role?
Delivering the babies, be it a natural, or caesarean delivery.
7) And the worst?
When you think, baby will make it through natural route and suddenly emergency happens and end up with emergency caesarean or a difficult instrumental delivery.
8) What are your long-term goals?
Become a philanthropist, to give what I have learnt to my students, my trainees, so that baton is passed on.
9) If you were Prime Minister, what one aspect would you change?
Value health care professionals, they deserve more than how government has treated the whole industry. Over the years, healthcare sector has been systematically undervalued and undermined by the politicians.
10) If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figure would you like to spend your time with and why?
Steve Jobs, In his commencement speech at Stanford University says, he walked 5 miles a day to get one good meal by walking to Hare Krishna Temple and I ran 5 miles a day six days a week to get to school on time, and I want to tell him about my struggle. Steve had the hunger and aspiration and visionary, which I want to polish.
