Women’s health is of utmost importance to society

What are the health challenges that women in India are experiencing?

Women in India do not take care of their health. It is observed that women tend to take care of their family and neglect their health and wellness. Such tendancies have resulted in the deterioration of women’s health. Women’s health should become a national cause and undertaken on a mission mode. Else they will continue to neglect their health.

Could you elaborate further on women’s health in mission mode?

The government already has many schemes for women health and welfare.

Several schemes are available to help improve women’s health in India. Indian women do not take the required nutrients for the body. As a result, their immunity levels are low. We get many women patients with bad health condition, primarily because they have not been taking the nutrients. A door-to-door campaign on a mission mode must be undertaken to ensure that women at home and office take their nutrition supplements daily.

 Is this problem only in rural women or urban women?

The issue is common in women from rural and urban, and is present in educated and uneducated women.

What are the reasons?

It is due to a lack of knowledge and carelessness. Availability of proper nutrients in food is a knowledge that humans understand from the time they started gathering and cultivating crops. Over the years, the modern lifestyle has resulted in the neglect of nutrition in food and lifestyle. Women cannot afford to have less nutrients in her body. The monthly mensuration, pre and post pregnancy requirements necessitate that they take proper nutrients.

How do women take care of their health better? Are supplements a necessity?

In this fast paced life, women keeps juggling and multitasking between various roles in life. Hence they need strong bones as well as day long energy both. I recommend Revital H Woman for my women patients, which provides a wholesome nutrition with combination of Calcium, Iron, Ginseng and multiple vitamins.   

Are women uncomfortable in consuming supplements?

Yes, In India women view supplements with doubt. A campaign by the government, doctor and development sector can help in mitigating this doubt. More than doubt, it is lack of information about its effectiveness.  Supplements are recommended, particularly in Indian context, where lack of nurtrition are a cause of worry.

How critical is women’s health to the economy?

It is easy to pull out numbers to highlight that women contribute specific percentages to the country’s economic growth. But, no study is undertaken to measure their overall contribution to the wellness of a nation. It is one of the reasons that I strongly advocate that women should take care of their nutrition supplements, if they wish to help in the overall growth of the country, not just the economy.

Can all age group take supplements?

All working women and students in colleges and universities should ensure that they have enough food nutrients. However, in the lifestyle that we live in today, not all nutrients are consumed or not available. Supplements can fill in that gap to a great extent. Supplements do not have any side effects. It is responsibility of all to take care of the health of the women in the family. Primarily men should ensure that women in the house are reminded to consume their daily requirement of supplements. Young women should be encouraged to have a good diet and supplements.

Government alone cannot complete this task, even if it is undertaken on a mission mode. But it is a suggestion that I feel the government both at the state and centre should explore.