newsheaven

The federal government and stakeholders in the health sector have called for increased investments in women's health and empowerment to enhance their access to quality healthcare and opportunities across Nigeria. They made this call in Abuja during the Womanhood Art Gala, organised by Nigeria Health Watch. The Managing Director of Nigeria Health Watch, Vivianne Ihekweazu, said, 'We must all invest in ensuring that every woman, regardless of her background, has access to the healthcare she needs.' She pointed out that disparities in maternal health outcomes, especially in Nigeria, remain alarmingly high. Nigeria continues to record one of the highest maternal mortality rates (MMR) globally, with over 1,000 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births-far from the UN Sustainable Development Goal of reducing global MMR to below 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030. 'This stark reality reminds us of the urgent need to ensure every woman ha...

Medical experts have called on Nigerians to stay informed about modern fertility preservation methods and treatment options for conditions like uterine fibroids. They made the appeal on Thursday in Abuja during the inaugural Reproductive Health Week, organised by Nordica Fertility Centre in collaboration with the Secretariat of Health and Human Services of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). Dr Abayomi Ajayi, Chief Executive Officer of Nordica Fertility Centre and the Fibroid-Care Centre, emphasised that women suffering from uterine fibroids and adenomyosis now have non-invasive treatment alternatives, such as High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU), instead of surgery. He also underscored the importance of fertility preservation in managing cancers among women and girls, urging healthcare providers to consider it when treating patients. According to him, the Health and Human Services Secretariat of the FCTA has partnered with Nordica Fert...

Health experts have stepped up efforts to address challenges and barriers that hinder adolescents’ access to reproductive health services. Through the Step Up to Access campaign, the experts seek to ensure that legislators, policymakers and the community are able to reach a consensus on what could be the most progressive laws as far as age of consent to reproductive healthcare is concerned. The Step Up to Access is a campaign across five countries of Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Youth Advocates Executive Director Tatenda Songore has said the five countries are the point of focus based on the fact that they have a high burden of teenage pregnancies, child marriages, and are facing the triple threat of high HIV infections, Gender Based Violence and teenage pregnancies. “We are bringing together these countries to address one of the biggest issues that has been on the table whereby adolesc...

The guidelines cover screening, assessment, education, and management. The Maternal and Child Health Research Institute, led by the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, has launched Singapore’s first set of guidelines on sexual health for women of reproductive age. The guidelines for healthcare professionals provide a framework that covers screening, assessment, education, and management across all stages of reproductive health. It also recommends integrating sexual health discussions into routine consultations and introduces standardised assessment tools such as the Female Sexual Function Index-6 (FSFI-6) and the PLISSIT model. The guidelines were unveiled by Rahayu Mahzam, Minister of State for Health and Digital Development and Information.