Be a Women of Worth during Women’s month | Western Cape Government

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Be a Women of Worth during Women’s month

4 August 2016

It is that time of the year where women are celebrated for who they are “the rock of the nation”. Women are the ones who often neglect their health to put that of their families ahead of their own. Between July – September, the Western Cape Government Health has introduced Women’s health season. This drive is focused on the strengthening of women’s health and calls all women to account for their health.

“An exclusive focus is given to women’s health during this time in order to raise awareness about the type of services women can access in our facilities. Women’s month should not just be limited to ceremonial celebrations which sometimes do little to improve the lives of women in our communities. While we are celebrating the role of women in building families, communities and countries, we ought to pay much attention to their health needs which are often neglected” said the Western Cape Health Minister, Dr Nomafrench Mbombo.

As part of the strategy to get our women healthier and taking care of themselves, the WCG Health has opened facilities and made things somewhat easier for women. Women are able to access women’s health services at our 24 and eight hour facilities (Community Health centres in the metro) and eight hour facilities (Community Day Centres) across the province.

Women of all ages are now able to access these services:

  • contraceptive choices,
  • pregnancy screening and care,
  • ante-natal care,
  • general health checks,
  • free pap smears,
  • breast checks,
  • chronic disease management, and
  • Counselling on a range of issues relating to women’s mental and physical health.

The Department also wants to play its role to educate the public about women’s health, ensuring that women are pro-active in taking care of themselves. To this end the Western Cape Government Health’s second annual Women of Worth campaign will kick into full swing during August with various community activations and media activities. Even though the department sees and provide women’s health service to more than 1.5 million women in the Western Cape we believe there are more selfless women out there that we need to reach.

Therefore the Department has intensified is efforts to remind women of various free health services available to them and to encourage them to make use of those services as many women tend to neglect themselves in favour of taking care of their loved ones. We encourage women to come out to our special activations where these women can access health screenings while they shop. These activations will take place at the Airport Shopping Centre on 13 August or at Old Rembrandt Mall on 20th August 2016. It will be a fun-filled event with free health checks available.

Their responsibilities sometimes do not enable them to go to health facilities, and thus important symptoms of preventable illness and disease could be missed. Visits must be regular and preventative, so that we can pick up symptoms earlier, which in turn allows us to prevent them early rather than treating them later. In terms of health, prevention really is better than cure.

We urge all ladies, young and old, to make time for themselves during women’s month.

 

Media Enquiries: 

Darren Francis
Assistant Director: Communications
083 430 3299
Darren.Francis@westerncape.gov.za