Health is a state of complete
mental, physical, and social well-being and does not mean the mere absence of
disease or infirmity. In common parlance it is a condition in which a man or
woman does not suffer from any illness and is feeling well; this leads us to
believe that Health is something related to the psycho-social and physical
satisfaction.
The health of families and nations is interlinked with the health of women.
Health or death of woman can have serious implications for the health of her
children and family. If the women are healthy they will produce healthy children
and they may be in a position to take care of the entire family health, so we
can say that healthy women are the sign of a healthy family and healthy nation.
Many organizations raising awareness regarding to women’s health issues but
still the same condition because they do not provide them a save environment,
medical services, family planning. Millions of women in the world die every year
because of unavailability or lack of access to health facilities and those which
are available are of poor quality. The most serious health issue for women is
the complications during pregnancy taking lives of millions of women every year
and those who survive develop infections making their lives miserable.
Women are among the worst affected when pregnant with health issues. With a very
high mortality and morbidity rate during pregnancy and childbirth, the deaths
per annum of women are among the highest in the world. There are many factors
responsible for such problems. However, even more important is the lack of
resources even for those who wish to seek treatment. The dogmatic and extremely
narrow approach to women and women’s health is the main reason why women are not
able to get the proper medical attention. Women are at times not even allowed by
other women to undergo medical treatment or visit a doctor. The tribal and rural
concept of home deliveries are another reason why patients remain undiagnosed of
medical complications and later on suffer for the remainder of their lives.
Social dogmas limit further the rights and access of women to reproductive
health services. Domestic violence remains a chief cause of complications
related to pregnancy including unwanted pregnancies, lack of access to family
planning services, unsafe abortions or injuries due to abortion, complications
due to frequent and high risk pregnancies, lack of follow up care, sexually
transmitted infections, and other psychological problems.
The overall lack of proper psychological services and rehabilitation centers may
lead to women remaining undiagnosed with depression and other conditions,
especially after delivery of the baby. The reproductive health is among the most
serious problems that women face in Pakistan. They have no right to take any
decisions regarding their health, which affects their morbidity and mortality,
and as a consequence affects the development of the children. Many children lose
their mothers to frequent pregnancies and complications. In order to most
effectively mitigate problems of women’s reproductive health, we must focus on
the groups of women most at risk: the rural, poor and older. The goal of this
program must be to encourage women to utilize health facilities and skilled
birth attendants when giving birth, which would at least allow women with
complications a chance to receive proper treatment.