Africa
SAVE Our Heritage Initiative (SOHI), an Abuja based NGO, has called for abrogation harmful cultural practices to achieve global health equality.
Ms May Ikokwu, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the group, made the call in Abuja on the occasion of World Population Day (WPD) on Monday.
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.”
Ikokwu said that obnoxious cultures indirectly promote health inequality with its attendant mortality rates.
According to her, it is unbelievable that some cultures today still practice Female genital Mutilation which exposes women to health dangers.
“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,” she said.
The SOHI boss who emphasised the need for a paradigm shift from harmful practices to generally acceptable norms, called for a global population where no one is left behind.
She also identified the unavailability of modern birth centres in many rural areas as a big challenge to achieving global health equality.
She said for instance: “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.”
Ikokwu, who congratulated the world on the world population day, said that only collective effort of all can lead to achieving Universal Health Coverage.
The culture advocate, however, appealed to the Federal Government for increased security of lives in Nigeria for a healthy and stress free population.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that World Population Day (WPD) is celebrated annually on July 11. (NAN)
KN
Tags: May Ikokwu SOHI WPD
