Medical experts on Friday stressed the importance of gender partnership to break stereotypes and norms related to women in the health sector instead of fostering rivalry between men and women
ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Apr, 2023 ) :Medical experts on Friday stressed the importance of gender partnership to break stereotypes and norms related to women in the health sector instead of fostering rivalry between men and women.
The experts made these remarks during a seminar titled "Women Leadership in Health" organized by Sustainable Development Policy Institute on World Health Day, here today.
Addressing the seminar, former Surgeon General of Pakistan Army, Lt. Gen. (Retd) Dr Nigar Johar Khan said that women constitute two-thirds of the healthcare workforce yet female representation dwindles as we progress up the hierarchy.
She lamented the fact that female-centric policies in Pakistan continue to be articulated by men despite women having a better insight of these issues.
She urged for collective efforts and changing mindset to break stereotypes and norms that hold back women and stressed that empowered women must use their positions to empower other women.
Parliamentary Secretary, MoNHSR&C, Dr Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro stressed the role of women legislators in increasing access of women to quality health services especially during disasters through female-centric policies and engaging with women at the grass-root level.
Executive Director SDPI Dr Abid Suleri said that the SDGs agenda of leaving no one behind is unattainable without a gendered analysis of policies.
He further said that gender-blind policies fail to deliver to different segments of society particularly in climate disasters and reflect in PSDPs and macro-economic policies.
He further said women struggle to break horizontal and vertical glass ceiling in Pakistan and despite having a female Prime Minister, Pakistan had its first female Lieutenant General after 75 years of independence.
Deputy Executive Director, Women in Global Health, Dr Shabnam Sarfaraz said that women are clustered in lower status and low payment roles in health sector and highlighted that the global gender pay gap in health is -24% making female professionals grossly underpaid.
She pointed out that female students take up 70% of medical college seats, outperforming male students yet only 46% of them continue practice after graduation and only 35% female doctors opt for post-graduate qualification. She further said that there is an alarming 21% exit rate among female doctors after marriage due to ender insensitive career advancement practices.
Country Representative, JSI Research and Training Institute, Dr Nabeela Ali urged for abolishing unwritten gender norms hindering female healthcare professionals from excelling in their careers.
She said these hurdles not only reflect in the hierarchy but also undermine the delivery of healthcare services. She stressed that the presence of women in leadership roles ensures better service delivery and can improve the health indicators of the country.
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