Each year, on April 7th, the World Health Organization (WHO) chooses to highlight a special health theme that is current in the wellness and medical world. World Health day promotes physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The purpose of this day is to bring awareness to certain health issues impacting our society today. World Health Day has highlighted women’s health in the past and will do so in the future. Here are three women’s health-related themes it has acknowledged.
Supported Nurses and Midwives
In 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses and midwives were acknowledged on World Health Day. All of our frontline medical professionals were working hard to protect us from this disease and striving to stay safe as well. However, nurses and midwives played a big role in treating COVID-19 patients and keeping all of us safe. They were instrumental in leading community dialogue to address any questions we have and collecting data for clinical studies. Our nurses and midwives were a strong force in helping to stabilize the spread of COVID-19. May we never take them or any healthcare professional for granted, whether we’re going through a pandemic or not.
Violence against Women
Domestic violence was also acknowledged on World Health Day. WHO has estimated that globally about 1 in 3 or 30% of women have been subjected to either physical or other forms of violence by their partner. Violence against women has always been a public health problem and a violation of women’s human rights. It not only affects their physical health but their mental and reproductive health as well. The lockdown during the pandemic has unfortunately increased the exposure of women to abusive partners. However, domestic violence can be prevented. One way is for the health sector to provide more avenues of support services for women going through this issue. They could also train healthcare providers on how to respond to survivors’ needs.
Menstrual Health Recognized by the WHO
Last year, the WHO called for menstrual health to be recognized as a health and human rights issue, not a hygiene issue. They also wanted to recognize that women and girls have access to information and education about menstrual health and the products they need. Menstrual health wasn’t initially on the agenda, but now governments are beginning to provide more help for women experiencing this issue. Some have removed taxes on menstrual products. However, more still needs to be done to improve access to menstrual products for women.
World Health Day is acknowledged on April 7th each year. Women’s healthcare has been one of the most important themes this day has brought attention to. Domestic violence, menstrual health, and more support for nurses and midwives are just a few of the women’s health-related issues addressed on this day.
Some of the ways you can offer support for these health issues are to consider volunteering at your local organizations or just thanking your nurses or primary care providers for the work they do. Showing some appreciation to our healthcare professionals motivates them to continue supplying quality adequate care on World Health Day and beyond. Share your thoughts about World Health Day and what it means to you in the comments below. As always, be sure to like or share this post on April 7th with the next woman you care about.
