Women Advised To Pay Attention To Their Health

Women have been advised to pay proper attention to their health needs to be able to live strong and long enough to care for their families.
A public health advocate, Chief Regina Fabian made the passionate appeal to women at a health talk series of a women’s health retreat.
The retired matron said, ”Keeping healthy does not only mean bathing, cutting your nails; you have to check your diet. Know what is good for your health”.
She advised women not to fail to rest, stressing that it is very important for good health. “Rest, many women do not rest yet they work round the clock going to farm, to the market or the church.
“At times they come back too tired to eat, stressed out. Women need to take good care of themselves. Check your health status for early detection of ailment,” she added.
According to her. “One of the common challenges in women’s health is cancer especially cervical cancer,” Research shows that many women are afflicted with cervical cancer and the nation has advanced facilities for detecting it as attested to by women from different states of the Niger Delta who were part of the Kebetkache Resource Center Trauma Healing workshop which held in Port Harcourt July 10-15.
Chief Regina pointed out that Cervical Cancer test is free and it is important that girls from 14 years to women aged 50 years check their status.
She listed causes of cervical cancer as, multi-sexual partners, early active sexual life and giving birth in the care of traditional birth attendants.
“Women who deliver with TBAs, are more liable to have cervical cancer while people aged 60 and above are less likely to suffer from cervical cancer because at that age, the cervix is supposed to have atrophied”, the very experienced senior nurse explained.
It is important that any woman of child bearing age knows her status to avoid early death, she added.
According to her, the cause of cervical cancer is long-lasting infection certain types of human papilloma virus (HPV) which resides in the pubic area.
To guard against it, keep clean and stick to one sexual partner, she urged.
Signs of cervical cancer were identified as: bleeding in between periods even after menses or after sex, stale blood, brownish and smelly, whitish offensive discharge and pains in the pelvis, among others.
She said women and girls should go for Pap smear, visit a medical personnel if you discover any of the mentioned signs for treatment which, might need surgery depending on the state of infection at detection.
“There is vaccine (HPV) to prevent cervical cancer and there are many screening centers now. Women should endeavor to access them to save live”.
Chief Regina also expressed worry over increase in cases of high blood pressure among women.
“We have noticed increased cases of hypertension, diabetes, and fibroid among women. When you remove fibroid, you are okay.”
According to her, in a small gathering of 45 women, 25 women tested hypertensive, some with very high blood pressure which is not good as hypertension is a silent killer.
The health advice for women can be captured in three letters, RED, she noted. “Rest, Exercise and Diet”.