The tale of women’s health in Nigeria is heart-wrenching. Amid global health concerns, Nigerian women, especially those hailing from low and middle-income backgrounds, are wrestling with a devastating range of health issues. These challenges stretch from reproductive health problems to non-communicable diseases, and from infectious conditions like HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis to cancers such as breast and cervical cancer, which loom ominously over their lives.
Several contributing factors paint a grim picture of women’s health in Nigeria at this very point in time. It’s not just about limited access to vital health services, preventive measures, or early detection due to scarce healthcare facilities or prohibitive costs. It’s also about societal beliefs that erect barriers to care, with deep-rooted gender inequality casting an ominous shadow.
Addressing these issues is not a matter of choice but an urgent necessity. After all, women are the backbone of our society – their well-being directly reflects in their children’s health and education, the productivity of the workforce, and the pulse of economic growth. Investing in women’s health, particularly in rural Nigeria, is not just a social obligation; it’s a path to a prosperous and sustainable future for us all.
The pressing economic crisis in Nigeria, marked by soaring inflation and spiraling fuel costs, is deepening the health inequalities women face. Economic hardships lead to constrained healthcare spending as families struggle to afford basic needs, making the journey to health facilities a luxury many can’t afford.
Moreover, healthcare services have become more expensive during this inflationary period, creating a further divide between women and the essential medical care they need. This economic turmoil has hit women, often the most economically disadvantaged.
The issue is further exacerbated by the ongoing ‘brain drain’ in our healthcare sector, popularly known as the ‘Japa Syndrome’. The exodus of healthcare professionals in search of greener pastures abroad has left our country’s health sector teetering on the brink, with rural areas feeling the effects most acutely.
Our country stands at a crossroads. The looming health crisis, if left unchecked, threatens to erode our nation’s fabric, with our mothers, sisters, and daughters bearing the brunt of this catastrophe.
Addressing this dire situation calls for an urgent, focused, and strategic response. We need to overhaul our healthcare infrastructure, make healthcare affordable, and prioritize women’s health. We need to put an end to the ‘Japa Syndrome’ by improving working conditions for healthcare workers.
We need to empower our women economically, tackle the deeply entrenched gender inequality, and recognize the vital importance of nutrition. We appeal to the conscience of our leaders. It is high time that we, as a nation, rise to this challenge. Let us act swiftly, efficiently, and decisively. Our women’s health, and in turn, our country’s future, hangs in the balance. The clock is ticking, and we must not, we cannot, fail them.
BY Dr Andrew Anjorin, Medical Consultant, UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital, Osogbo. dranjie@gmail.com
