"Lack of mobility, decision-making power, and income, as well as prohibitions against seeking care from male providers, present serious constrains to women's ability to use the limited services that are available."
This was a major outcome of a recent research carried out by Aga Khan University, to sensitise different sections of community in the Gadap Town area about the health issues of women.
This activity by department of Community Health Sciences (CHS) sought to make the health service providers more sensitive to the health needs of women and raise awareness among women about their rights and responsibilities to seek appropriate healthcare.
To share the findings, a seminar was held, at which the project director, Dr Babar Tasneem Shaikh pointed out that the community is going to be the direct beneficiary of the project alongside the health workers and healthcare providers, who will be gender sensitised, with improved interpersonal communication skills and confidence leading to an increased clientele.
He said that the local government will definitely benefit from the findings of the project and could review its policies and programmes based on the evidence furnished through this research project.
Aga Khan University's CHS Department has a long history and vast experience of working on women's health issue in general and reproductive health in particular. CHS has recently worked on WHO/UNDP/World Bank manuals for improving reproductive health services for women and adapted these manuals in the Pakistani context.-PR