‘Why uterine health services should be in reproductive framework’

By Joseph Erunke

Abuja—Major stakeholders in the nation’s health sector have called for integration of uterine health services into the existing reproductive and maternal health frameworks.

Speaking at a Strategic Roundtable on Uterine Health in Nigeria in Abuja weekend, participants also called for the development of a National Uterine Health Strategy that prioritised early screening, treatment, and research; training of primary healthcare providers on identifying and managing common uterine health conditions as well as ensuring inclusion of uterine health in the curriculum for health workers.

The Roundtable with the theme:”Elevating Uterine Health as a National Priority “, was convened by the federal ministry of health and social welfare, in collaboration with White Ribbon Alliance Nigeria and Youterus Health.

In her opening remarks, the Director and Head of Department, Family Health, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Binyerem Ukaire, explained that the aim of the event was to address the growing concerns around women’s reproductive health, particularly issues relating to uterine disorders, such as fibroids, endometriosis, adenomyosis, and cervical cancer.

“As we all know, women are the bedrock of any society and women are the bedrock of every nation. Therefore, the health of women is very strategic to national beauty, to productivity, to economic importance and development.

“So we need to begin to re-scope. We need to begin to reconsider and rethink our approach to the health of women, not only during pregnancy, but also right from inception, even from the girl child, even to menopause and post-menopause. And that is what this meeting is all about,’’ Dr. Ukaire said.

Also speaking,  the Chief Operating Officer at Youterus Health, Julie Otieno, described the event as very pivotal in uterine health.

She said:  “The most important issue that we are discussing here is really about bringing everybody together to have this important discussion on uterine health.”

‘’We’ve had so many stories of women who are affected with various uterine conditions and this has long been an issue that has been put on the back side.  And so by bringing people together here, we are saying that this is a national priority  that needs to be considered and that this has to be taken up.’’

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Health, Mrs. Uju Anwuka, who was represented by Mr. Augustine Akpaku, the Technical Assistant on Public Health in the Office of the Vice President, tasked Nigerians to take uterine health very seriously in their lives.

“It’s really a program that Nigerians should take very seriously. And like the theme of the program is,I think all partners, governments, and MDAs should align with this project and support it to a successful end,” he advised.

The Board Chair at White Ribbon Alliance Nigeria, Dr. Nana Chidi Emmanuel, lamented that women, both single and married, had gone through a lot of burden mentally, emotionally, psychologically, advising that women’s health must be a priority for every government anywhere in the world.

She explained that the partnership of her organisation with the Federal Ministry of Health and Youterus Health in convening the programme was to ensure that women were constantly prioritised, especially with regard to the uterus.

I’m confident that with all the critical stakeholders that are here today, we will be moving forward the agenda of the uterus,’’ she added.

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