By Gabriel Ewepu

FOLLOWING high number of women dying due to various illnesses as a result ignorance, poverty, neglect and other societal challenges in the country, particularly among the poor, a civil society organisation, Voice of the Less Privileged Organisation, VOLPO, has advocated the legislation that would cater for women’s health.

This was stated by the Founder, VOLPO, Bar. Ego-Queen Ezuma, who said women’s health, should be paramount to all tiers of government as they remain the engine-room of growth, development and peace in the country.

Ezuma who has been in the vanguard of the fight  for better health for women said VOLPO has ensured that the rights of women are protected and exercised at any given time as it concerns their health.

She said: “The Voice for the Less Privileged Organisation, VOLPO, has been doing well in accordance with its mission, motive and mandate, and it is a self-sponsored organisation, and I founded it in 2006 with passion to add value to lives of the neglected and frustrated we have been doing what we can to turn around lives.

“We have been on sensitisation, teaching women about their health because health is wealth to every human being particularly the women. That has been a continued exercise and as long as a woman is alive the nation is alive.

“Many women in the country are ignorant about what transpires in their health because they thought that eating alone is important in life but it is more than that. We emphasise on physical exercise for different ages.

“Now, the rate of diabetes related death is higher than HIV/AIDS in this country and it is more among the women. For instance a disease like cancer is high among women but it can be detected early to tackle it and that makes her safe.

“It is unfortunate that virtually everything in the country is politicised including the health of the people. We have seen several wives of state governors who have initiated various pet projects and programmes for women’s health but at the end of the day it becomes a white elephant project, while others who succeed them jettison those programmes.

“I will like our women who are in the National Assembly as elected lawmakers to look into the health of women and enact laws that will protect the lives of women. Politicians should be concerned and considerate about women’s health so they can live longer to continue to vote for them and not just the peanut they give them in form of rice, sugar, seasoning, wrappers and others.

“Government should take the health of women seriously and it is very simple to make women understand how to live and many lives will be saved. It should start in their dieting and meal preparation recipes.”

She also urged government to collaborate with civil society organisations that are relevant and reliable to sensitise and create awareness among women about their health.