WPD: NGO Advocates Abolishment Of Harmful Practices For Equal Global Health
Save Our Heritage Initiative (SOHI), An Abuja based Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), is calling for the abolishment of harmful cultural practices so as to to achieve global health equality.
On Monday, the call was made in Abuja by Ms. May Ikokwu, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the group, on the occasion of World Population Day (WPD).
The World Population Day (WPD) is celebrated annually on the 11th of July and the theme for the 2022 World Population Day is: “A world of 8 billion: Towards a resilient future for all – Harnessing opportunities and ensuring rights and chances for all.”
Ms. Ikokwu stated that obnoxious cultures tend to indirectly promote health inequality with its high mortality rates. She explains that it is unbelievable that till today, some cultures still practice Female genital Mutilation which exposes women to health dangers.
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“Some culture still condone early marriage which exposes women to all kinds of fistula. These kinds of cultures must stop in order to give women in particular health equality for a universal healthier population”
The SOHI CEO stressed the need for a paradigm shift from harmful practices to generally accepted norms and called for a global population where no one is left behind. She had also identified that the unavailability of modern birth centres in many rural areas was a big challenge in achieving global health equality.
“Nigeria has an estimated population of over 200 million and about 80 per cent of the population live in rural conditions. Women living in rural areas are 77 per cent more likely to give birth at home than in a modern health facility which poses a health danger to both the baby and mother.”
Ms. Ikokwu, who congratulated the entire world on the world population day, stated that it is with only the collective efforts of everyone that Universal Health Coverage can be achieved.
However, the culture advocate also appealed to the Federal Government for an increased security of lives in Nigeria for a healthy and stress free population.
