The traditional focus on women’s health tends to emphasize only their healthcare needs.
But women are important providers – as much as they are recipients – of healthcare in their homes and wider communities.
This involvement is undervalued economically, politically and culturally.
Women play a vital role in the global healthcare workforce as nurses, midwives, community health workers and doctors. In Uganda alone at least 90% of nurses are women.
In some countries women are still less likely than men to reach senior positions in healthcare professions, but in Uganda we have a number of them as specialists, doctors, consultants, and even ministers in the health sector.
This is a clear sign that women have progressively played a crucial role in contributing to the health sector not just as recipients but as providers in not just the public sector but up to the communities and family level.
On this year’s women’s day, Kisubi Hospital has reminded women of the great contribution they are making in the health sector. They have reminded women especially of their role as health care educators in their families and communities.
Through a video made by the hospital, medical staff came together to remind women how they are wonderfully made and are well positioned to take up the mantle and spear-head health education in their families and communities especially regarding HIV prevention, care and treatment.
They also took the opportunity to remind them that while they do that, they have to be mindful of their health and always take responsibility to look after their overall health especially heart-health and antenatal needs.
As we celebrate women’s day, it seems very appropriate that rather than focusing only on things that can be done for women, there is a need to empower them and this video message by Kisubi Hospital aimed at that. Enjoy the video via the Youtube link below:
