02/01/2026
I started the New Year a little differently
There’s a popular belief that what you do on 1st January is what you’ll end up doing the rest of the year.
Maybe that’s why hospitals were unusually quiet yesterday — no one wants to be sick on the first day of the year.
So I did something unconventional.
I started my year with preventive health.
I finally got my long-overdue gynaecology check-up, including a Pap smear and HPV test, and I also received my HPV vaccine.
And here’s my honest confession — even as a healthcare professional, I wasn’t sure if I was still eligible for the HPV vaccine until my gynaecologist .namitakapoorsahgal patiently explained otherwise.
It was a powerful reminder that women often put their own health last — even doctors do.
To every woman reading this:
🌸 Prioritise yourself
🌸 Get your screenings done
🌸 Ask about the HPV vaccine
🌸 Prevention is powerful
And to my kidney patients — please take all vaccines recommended by your nephrologist.
Vaccines save lives, prevent hospitalisations, and improve quality of life by reducing morbidity.
💉 What better way to start the year than investing in your health?
Wishing you a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2026!
— Dr Garima Aggarwal
Consultant Nephrologist and transplant specialist
Manipal Hospitals, Varthur and Whitefield