Experts highlight women healthcare issues

Post Graduate Medical Institute Principal Dr Muhammad Al-Fareed Zafar has said new year 2023 needs to be celebrated as the year of women's rights and self-reliance so that they could contribute to the economic development and national prosperity by improving their own health.

“Moreover, awareness about their health and wellbeing would not only minimise the female’s problems but they would also get equal opportunities for treatment and health care,” he remarked.

He expressed these views while addressing a seminar on the topic of Women's Health and Self-Reliance at Lahore General Hospital, in which Prof Faheem Afzal, Dr Misbah Javed, Dr Laila Shafiq, Dr Mehwish Ilyas and Dr Rizwana Tariq also expressed their views.

Dr Muhammad Safdar and Dr Abdul Aziz were also present in the seminar along with young doctors. Prof Al-Fareed Zafar said that normally women in the society hesitate to express anyone about their health issues especially gynaecological diseases, which creates complications for them which are also dangerous for their health.

Dr Laila Shafiq and other medical experts contributed that women during menstruation and pregnancy many problems have to be faced about which especially young girls have mental, physical and social bearers due to lack of proper awareness and information, for which it is necessary that mothers must give their daughters basic information and necessary knowledge at the time of puberty.

Moreover, girls should be aware of the issues so that they do not face any problem and can step into their practical life with confidence and being the healthy citizen.

PGMI Principal and renowned Gynaecologist Al-Fareed Zafar said normally our women are forced to get “taweez” and other tips instead of getting their proper medical check-up done in case of childlessness, whereas they need the guidance of a good gynaecologist.

He added that the formation of glands and cysts in the uterus and ovaries has become a common disease, which a major reason for not having children and women need a specialist instead of quack for this purpose.

He also stressed that lady doctors and gynaecologists have a great responsibility to organise more awareness meetings to create awareness among young girls so that they can take care of their own health in future.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 3^rd, 2023.