Activists Lament Health Workers’ Hostility towards Women with Disabilities

By Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

Maternal Newborn Child Health (MNCH) activists in Bauchi State have lamented the hostility of hospital and clinic staff towards women with disabilities, just as they advocated the training of health personnel on sign language for effective health delivery.

Making the observation at the quarterly meeting of the MNCH activists Wednesdayin Bauchi, they expressed dismay over the treatment of patients by the health personnel, saying: “Pregnant women with disabilities were always at the receiving end from hostile health workers in the health facilities which is capable of causing death of mother or child.”

The Executive Director, Health Disability Initiative, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Bauchi, Mr. Mainas Ayuba, said discrimination is often experienced by people with disabilities in health facilities which has discouraged many women from seeking health care freely.

According to Ayuba, “Nurses often make derogatory remarks, including questioning why a woman with disability would ever engage in sex or have a child. Health care personnel discouraged them from seeking reproductive health and family planning services.

“Women of child bearing age among the women with disabilities were always subjected to insults and harassment from health workers. This is morally wrong and professionally unethical no matter the pressure of work or stress.”

Details later…