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Health of the Kerala Ms. on the slide
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Kerala's position on women's health has slipped, as revealed by a WHO survey. The Reproductive Child Health wing, under the aegis of WHO, is working to arrest the downslide. LEELA MENON on the latest work being done in this area.
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INDIA HAS slid down to the 127th position among 175 nations in the Human Development Index. And WHO's health survey has revealed that the health of women and children in Kerala is also on the slide.
In its attempt to arrest this, the Reproductive Child Health Wing of Kerala, under a WHO programme, is taking health classes across the State, imparting awareness about the need for total health, which, it stresses, does not mean absence of diseases, but physical, mental, psychological, social and spiritual health. The focus of these classes, conducted even among labourers through their unions, is family health and male participation. Special focus is bestowed on the girl child because only a healthy mother can produce a healthy child.
This health slide is attributed to the conflict between productive and reproductive roles of women and the absence of their empowerment. WHO's view has special resonance in Kerala, known for its progressive health profile, based on its two-child norm, longevity and nutrition, all attributed to women's education. So, it is not just `Small is beautiful', for WHO, but now, it also means `Health for All.'
According to Dr. Jaya Lal Mohan, District Reproductive and Child Health Officer, Ernakulam, this erosion in women's health in Kerala is because of their absence of empowerment. Working mothers carry dual responsibility of attending office and caring for the family, resulting in role conflict, highlighted by WHO. In the past women had emotional freedom and life was more systematic. With economic empowerment there is this conflict between her productive and reproductive roles. After all, only a woman can perform the reproductive role! According to her it is the mind that bestows health and women are battered by stress, strain and conflict, which shatters her emotionally. Women's health is absolutely essential for socio-economic productivity. Only positive health can contribute to this, not mere economic empowerment. People keep comparing the old and the new generation when there is no comparison between the two.
Women need physical, mental, social and operative well being, not absence of diseases or infirmity. Women have ceased to have this, because they experience conflict with their dual roles and the resultant stress, Dr. Jaya explains, and asks, "And finally what happens to her? She is afflicted by osteoarthritis, menopausal syndromes, Alzheimers Disease which is the result of alienation and afflicts women more.
" Another focus of these classes is sex education, to impart awareness about the value of sex, respect for the opposite sex, sans harassment. It is time men realised that strength does not mean mere muscle power. There is strength in motherhood, identified only with women. Elaborating the WHO guidelines, Dr. Jaya explains, WHO is against prenatal diagnostic technique for performing foeticide. In its vision, gender issue is a social construct not a sexual one, as is generally perceived. WHO focuses on three facets of health for women- gender inequality, gender discrimination and gender violence. Gender inequality is a male fixation, like the fixation for `Aadyathe Kanmani aanayirikkanam', (the first child should be a boy). Girl child is unwanted as she is considered an economic burden and hence merits automatic discrimination, like denial of nutrition, education etc. Gender violence can be mental, physical and social violence. Maternal Deprivation Syndrome is also in the spotlight of WHO, to ensure the health of the future generation. When women fail to fulfil their roles, broken homes result and it affects the child, sometimes converting them into criminals. Protect women to protect society. Give her dignity, self-esteem and respect," she stresses.
The classes conducted in schools, colleges and PTAs where the reproductive child health staff impart sex education, adolescent girls are told that menstruation is not a curse.
"We are trying to involve the parent-teacher association in these classes, because a few mothers want to postpone menstruation in their daughters through hormone treatment, so that they perform well in their examinations, reveals Dr. Jaya.
"Hormone treatment to delay menstruation is harmful. Adolescent education is also a part of Reproductive Child Health agenda."
Though this programme has been going for a few years, women continue to be disempowered. In the bargain, an unhealthy society continues to grow.
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
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Kochi
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