In a bid to mobilise women for the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic, the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria has embarked on the Women Rights to Health Information (WORTHI) campaign to provide life-saving health information to women. D
Whenever there are challenges such as war, disease outbreak or any form of disaster, women bear the brunt in the sense that they shoulder the responsibility of ensuring that members of their families remain safe.
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced COVID-19 officially a pandemic as of March 11, 2020. What this means to women is that they have to work even harder to ensure they and members of their family build strong, healthy immune systems to fight the virus and adhere to the stay-at-home order and other precautionary rules to contain the spread of the virus.
The Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria seized the opportunity to embark on the Women Rights to Health Information (WORTHI) campaign to provide life-saving health information to women. This information is simple, easy to understand and in the local language and women have been utilising the simple information to save lives and their household.
According to the first Nigerian International President of Medical Women International Association (MWIA) in the United States, Eleanor Nwadinobi, women have traditionally been bearers, rearers and carers in the home.
These traditional roles, she said, have positioned them for the response to the COVID-19 pandemic at household level. Nwadinobi said that the vigilance that they practice regarding any health changes among members of the household can be of great benefit towards early detection of symptoms of the disease.
“Additionally, the fact that women generally choose the menu within a household means that they can look for foods, fruits and vegetables that boost the immunity.
“In the same way, women can be the vehicle for protecting their families and communities against the Coronavirus by disseminating information on washing of hands, use of sanitizers, avoiding touching the face and social distancing. Women are also being creative and innovative in making face masks; women are also health care professionals on the frontlines and are also support staff,” she said.
According to her, there are women playing important roles in responding to the issues of violence against women and girls, especially regarding women who are locked down with their abusers and requiring support or requiring protection in the shelter.
“Women are taking the initiative in providing palliatives in the communities, to IDPs and vulnerable groups. Women are also setting up mobile food stalls in markets and farming and this will help greatly in containing the spread of Covid-19 because it’s aimed at encouraging the social distancing order. With the closure of schools, women are multi-tasking, working from home, doing their regular duties in the home as well as supporting the home schooling of their children.
“Women are the true heroines of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and should be applauded as the leaders towards the light at the end of the tunnel,” she said.
Director of Moyinoluwa Rainbow Foundation (MRF), Tola Makinde, said parents of children with special needs should work even harder to ensure these children have strong, healthy immune systems as underlying health conditions could lead to increased risk of complications.
She said that as a charity organization that cares for children with special needs, her foundation is aware that persons with Down Syndrome (DS) are predisposed to respiratory infections and could experience serious respiratory consequences if they contract the coronavirus.
“We should take extra precautions with children with special needs during this pandemic, keeping them away from big events, public places, and away from those with fever or cough. Only take your child to a hospital or clinic if necessary. Watch out for unusual symptoms even if your child seems active but showing signs of illness” Makinde advised.
She emphasized that it would be wise to assess how to best support the immune system for those with special needs on an individual basis.
“The number one intervention is a healthy diet that’s rich in colourful fruits and vegetables and low in refined sugar. These boost the immune system better than supplements according to research.
“To date, there are no proven treatments that are effective against COVID-19. Generally, the best practices to prevent the virus are; hand washing, self-care, use of hand sanitizer, covering the mouth and nose, avoid touching your face, keeping surfaces clean, stress reduction, sleep and exercise”. Makinde said.
UN women palliatives
Meanwhile, the UN Women has contributed N38 million to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs towards provision of palliatives for vulnerable Nigerian women. The donation was officially presented to the Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, by the UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Comfort Lamptey.
The fund is to be channeled towards the procurement and distribution of relief and hygiene supplies including food items, soap, masks and sanitizers, which will be procured from women-owned businesses. These palliative measures are targeted at reaching 12,600 vulnerable women and girls who have been worst hit by the effects of the crisis, in 14 states across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria.
Lamptey lamented that whilst the pandemic is one that affects all spheres of society, women and girls are being more adversely affected by violence, food insecurity and loss of income. Additionally, she said, women and girls are the bearers of an unfair burden of care and during this time, they are most likely to be responsible for caring and providing for households including sick relatives.
“UN Women through its support to the Ministry of Women Affairs will continue to contribute to strengthening the resilience and coping capacities of some of the most affected households, including vulnerable female-headed households, poor women with disabilities, and those affected by conflict in the country. The targeted support is also geared at improving the awareness and adoption of hygiene practices as measures to prevent the target beneficiaries and their communities from contracting the COVID-19 disease,” she said.
Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, said support should be prioritized for the most vulnerable women and those women who earn a daily income. She urged governments and stakeholders worldwide to integrate protection policies for women in their COVID response plans.
“Where governments or businesses put income protection in place, this can ease their dilemma, sustain incomes and avoid driving households into poverty. This response must also include those in the informal economy, where most women who work outside home make their livelihood. Such social protection is best directed specifically to women.” Mlambo-Ngcuka noted.
In a related development, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Umar Farouq, has handed over a truck of rice, 50 bags of Sugar, 200 cartons of Macaroni and three bails of wrappers to the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, for onward distribution to women groups in Abuja.
Farouq said that the palliatives were donated in line with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari, to cushion the lockdown on the most vulnerable members in the society.
Tallen, while receiving the items, appreciated the Federal Government for the gesture and promised to distribute the items to the needy amongst the women who are the most hit by the hardship as a result of the COVID – 19 pandemic. She also appealed to women leaders and well – meaning Nigerians to care for the most vulnerable amongst them.
