THE HEALTH FACTOR

Quality health care in today's world is not only a necessity but also a right that we global citizens should strive to ensure that it is at our disposal. Health is wealth and this should instigate professionalism, commitment and also care when dealing with health related issues. Girls and young women are adversely affected by various situations such as pregnancies, menstrual cycles and parturition. All these are biological phenomenon’s that may in one way affect their social lives and also their health. They are the vulnerable lot in most societies and should be given priority and thorough guidance when dealing with their health issues.

The first step of access to basic health care for girls and young women is dealing with the stereotypic nature that has engulfed most of our communities whether tribal or based on belief and religion. Young women and girls should be given a safe space to engage with their mothers and fathers and also their peers about what they feel and what they experience. For instance, menstrual health is still seen as taboo in most communities and this makes girls to shy away from talking about it openly with their parents, some are even not allowed to be seen within the vicinity of the family setting. The freedom of speech without fear of being reprimanded should be castigated in our young women and girls so as to give them a voice. A voice of confidence that will see them treated with care and listened to by the society.

Accessibility to health care services should be the core mandate of any government that cares about its girls and women. The human race is diverse and is faced with various challenges such as poverty, war, climate change and terrorism. All these can affect our health care systems. The minority groups and communities are the most neglected. Access to quality health care for girls and young women has been facilitated through a number of was such as; the introduction of mobile clinics in Kenya to assist young mothers, girls and pregnant women in marginalized areas to access better health care.

Mobilizing political will and commitment from our government officials and representatives in addressing the issue of women health should be one of the key agendas of any government since governments are best placed to coordinate multiple institutions and foreign donors on conducting initiatives that seek to educate the girls on their health and also through initiatives such as the’ Linda Mama Initiative’ in Kenya which seeks to reduce the mortality rate during child birth in women. This was started by her Excellency Margaret Kenyatta the first lady of Kenya. The initiative has been a success because of her unending commitment to care for the Kenyan women and mothers. 

Strong advocacy is needed to ensure access to health care is achieved. In most African communities such as in Kenya, female genital mutilation and traditional methods of child birth are still prevalence. Human rights bodies are on the forefront in ensuring such is stopped because of the effects brought about by such practices. For instance, in Kenya, mass communications were conducted with the aim of improving the reproductive health of girls and women through a Kenyan radio soap opera known as “Understanding Comes from Discussion." This programme encouraged parents to communicate and talk about issues related to sexuality with their children.

Community health planning is a very innovative service delivery model that is designed to reduce geographical barriers to women’s access to health services. Young women should also be taught communally about family planning, reproductive health, and safe sex practices because women represent the cornerstone of a family’s overall health. This has been effective in Ghana since its implementation in 1999. Community health officers were assigned to different communities to provide primary health care services. They would move from compound to compound on motorcycles providing services such as family planning, immunization, antenatal and postnatal care and sex education.

The use of technology to improve access to health care is another milestone in achieving a better health care system due to the digital capabilities in the current digital era. Through the introduction of the internet and mobile phones a substantial group of people have been able to access health care services online and also through the incorporation of health insurance covers to women and young mothers. An example of this is Kenya’s ‘Linda Mama’ free health insurance for pregnant women which is under the Universal Health Coverage scheme introduced in the year 2018 which targets women in Kenyan slums and rural areas. Legal reforms also improve women’s access to health care, legislations about safe abortion is one that most governments are trying to put in place. Health is collaborative and essential to our girls and women.