CCSI, Pathfinder Push For Inclusion on Women’s Health
By Hannah Oni-Oginni
Center for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI) in collaboration with Pathfinders International a Non governmental organization (NGO) advocating for women’s health has urge stakeholders, health practitioners that women’s health should take center stage has lots of women faces diverse health challenges.
This the group said that there is need to amplify diverse voices in other to address issues on women’s health added that the media are a very powerful tool in advocating for such.
Addressing the role of media and the possible barrier that could hinder a well approached report on women’s health at the capacity building for journalist on effective report on women’s health in Lagos, the Technical Advisor, CCSI, Oluyemi Abodurin emphasised that women face lots of health challenges so their health should take center stage in the health sector.
He expressed that women face a lot of challenges ranging from maternal mortality, cervical cancer, breast cancer, endometriosis to fibroids, among others which means outrightly there are a lot of issues to report on women’s health as there are different angles to health story it depends on the approach which are likely to bring solutions, also, how government can be more active on issues on women’s health.
On media and government partnership, he stated that journalists must partner with the government noting that journalist and government officials should see themselves as partners if they want to see change happening in the health sector in Lagos.
“For partnership that work, civil society, press advocacy and policy interventions are very crucial in advancing women’s health and rights. So government must continually create and enforce policies to protect women’s rights and ensure their quick access to health care,” he noted.
On her part, Senior Program Advisor Pathfinder International, Dr. Sakina Bello said media advocacy is a useful tool in actualising the women’s health project in Lagos and other part of the country.
Recall, “when we started the anti-natal clinic project, media advocacy was very important so we did a capacity needs assessment where we outlined the most important areas and focused on it.
She said, “we hope that the report after this training will lead to a better maternal and newborn health policy as well as funding to achieve a healthier woman in Lagos.”
On the efforts of Lagos State government in promoting women’s health, the Director and Reproductive Health Coordinator, Lagos Ministry of Health, Dr Victoria Omoera said Maternal and Child Reduction Advisory Committee was established in 2008 to offer technical guidance on the various modalities using the national partnership for a sustainable reduction in maternal and newborn deaths in Lagos state.
Speaking further on contribution to women’s health, she expressed that female healthcare providers comprises a significant backbone of the health work force added that there is need to put women at the helms of health affairs in the State to advocate for women’s health as only women see the pain of fellow women.”
