A pioneer of her time, Dr Annette Benson was the director and medical officer at the Cama and Albless Hospital, Bombay. She was an able administrator and was deeply concerned about the working conditions of women doctors. With the idea of improving their condition, she formed the “Association of Medical Women in India” in 1907 the first medical association of women in the world. The organisation proposed to advance the interests of medical women in India. Benson, the first President of AMWI, committedly worked towards raising its reputation in international forums. Complaints such as undue requirements of subordination to men, unlawful sudden dismissals, lack of incremental rates of pay and work-related and study-leave rules, provisions for retirement were frequently heard.
On 1st January 1914, the Women’s Medical Service was established by the Government of India and administered and financed by a revised Central Committee of the Dufferin Fund. The new service supplied medical relief to that segment of Indian women who for social or religious prejudice were unable to go to an ordinary hospital.
Annette’s campaigning work made it possible for women doctors to serve in the military hospitals during the 1st World War.
A museum opened at the hospital in 2019 focusing on Indian women doctors and their achievements, including Dr Benson.
“The first few women doctors were brave, dynamic ladies whose life stories are a source of inspiration. With this museum, we would like to motivate our students by showing them the devotion these women had for this hospital,” Dr Amita Joshi, current medical superintendent of the hospital.