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Integrated Women's Health Camp to Ensure Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services

20 Dec 2021

WOREC understands and takes issues related to women's health as a vital issue. Through integrated women's health camps, WOREC has been screening the cases of reproductive morbidities and providing complete management of them. In this regard, with the initiation of WOREC, a joint health camp was conducted in Dang in support of Shantinagar rural municipality, Family planning association Nepal (FPAN), and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) on 14th September 2021. Similarly, WOREC also conducted a health camp in Kailali in close collaboration with Kailari rural municipality and FPAN on 26th September. Two hundred seventy-two women and one male received health services from the health camps held in Dang and Kailali.

The health camps offered free checkups and treatment to senior citizens, children, physically disabled people, and individuals from underprivileged and marginalized communities. The health camps provided services such as VIA test for cervical cancer screening, examination for uterine prolapse, awareness through poster/wall chart/flip chart, History Taking through filling Sayapatri kurakani form, Health Check-up, and Treatment, Free Medicine Distribution. 

The health camps also provided healthcare and counseling services to mothers-to-be and lactating women.

Four-month pregnant Radha, who attended the health camp at Kailali, said that she was grateful to have received antenatal services at the health camp. "I was stressed and worried about my unborn child's health. But after visiting the health camp and having a face-to-face consultation with the doctor, I feel better now. I also received iron supplements for free. I am thankful to the health workers at a health camp, who provided me with all the necessary medicine," said 21-years-old Radha, who asked that she only be identified by a pseudonym. 

Speaking at the inauguration of the health camp at Kailari rural municipality, Laxmi Satgauwa, Vice-Chairperson, welcomed the initiation taken by WOREC to conduct a health camp and empower and educate women and adolescent girls to understand women's and girl's right to health. Satgauwa also requested all the women and girls present in the health camp to prioritize their health and visit health camps and clinics for regular checkups.

"While women are always concerned about the wellbeing of their family members, most of them are negligent when it comes to their health and self-care. On the other hand, due to the lack of transportation, many women don't even have access to health clinics even when they undergo critical health problems. Every woman has the right to access health services. Therefore, such a health camp should be conducted regularly so that women in rural Nepal can access health services. For this, our rural municipality is ready to allocate budget for such health camp in the coming year as well." said Satgauwa.

In the health camps, healthcare workers also provided relevant information, especially on preventive measures related to COVID-19, and helped survivors of gender-based violence seek help.  The health workers also distributed required medicines, including calcium and iron tablets, to the people in need.