• French minister defends 5-day baby leave
• High prevalence of child marriage in India
• Confronting medical issues for women
• Africa the worst hit by AIDS, by far
• An International Women's Day call for women to know their osteoporosis risk
• Toll of Malaria high for African women
• London 2012 - a chance to nurture strong female role models
• Being a woman
• Violence against women
• I want to go to school
• Men and women together for a better world: From Uzbekistan in Central Asia
• Closing the Gender Gap on International Women's Day - and Every Day
• It is now more dangerous to be a woman than to be a soldier in modern
• Sewing a better future on International Women's Day
• Pakistan's women struggle for recognition
• S.Arabia urged to halt floggings, give women rights
• Reporters stripped by S.Leone circumcision society
• Agree to differ over women bishops - Anglican leader
• Few women follow pre-pregnancy recommendations
• India grapples with high maternal death rate
• Olympics-Women's boxing takes step closer to Games inclusion
• Human rights still poor in Africa, US says
• Birth control knowledge lacking in developing world
• In hard times, more U.S. women try to sell their eggs
• Billie Jean King targets gender unity
• A drink a day poses cancer risk for women
• Are women the key to soft power?
• Why Isn't Anne Burras Famous?
• Baby-Boomer Women Have Experienced Gender Issues
• Cost of a life was worth $2.00
• The Alternative - Developing Culture of Peace
• Women's self awareness and leadership
• Women and Sport
• Being A Woman
• IWD in Kenya
• Women demand bigger say in UN climate talks
• Norway tops gender gap index, Yemen ranked worst
• Educating girls single most effective strategy for economic growth
• China sees more female than male suicides per annum
• 4 in 10 births worldwide not attended by doctor or health professional
• Number of women holding university qualifications overtaken men for first time
• Gender gap closing on health and education but not economics and politics
• Harassment forces Afghan girls out of school
• Women's rights key to Africa AIDS crisis
• Vodka for women said to fuel Russia's acoholism
• Add an article

News headlines powered by Thomson Reuters

Confronting medical issues for women

By: Shelley Ross

Shelley Ross is secretary general of the Medical Women's International Association, an international non-governmental organisation representing women doctors from all continents. The opinions expressed are her own. -

The Medical Women's International Association was created in 1919, not long after the first International Women's Day in 1911. MWIA's founder was an American by the name of Dr. Esther Pohl Lovejoy, who served as its first president. She was an obstetrician by training but an activist and humanitarian by action. Not only did she establish MWIA but she also founded the American Women's Hospital Service during the First World War.

The motto of the Medical Women's International Association, Matris Animo Curant, comes from Latin and translates to read, "She Heals with the Spirit of a Mother."

From the time of Hygeia in ancient Greece to present day, women have had a significance influence on the practice of medicine.

To name three of its objectives, MWIA (1) works to overcome gender-related differences in health and healthcare between women and men throughout the world, (2) works to overcome gender related inequalities in the medical profession and (3) works to promote health for all through the world with particular interest in women, health and development.

International Women's Day on March 8, gives us an opportunity to reflect on how we are doing with accomplishing these objectives.

Regarding gender-related differences in health and healthcare, a past Director-General of the World Health Organization Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, once said that no country treats their women the same as they treat their men. This is often more readily apparent in the developing countries, where family resources dictate that boys will receive medical care and girls will not ... more

Copyright 2009 Thomson Reuters. Click for Restrictions.

Whats your opinion?