This International Day of Action for Women's Health, let us focus on a powerful force for change: women community health workers.
According to the World Health Organisation, an estimated 35% of women globally are unable to access essential health services they need, a disparity that disproportionately impacts their physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. With a scenario like this, the work women health workers do becomes even more pivotal in ensuring healthcare for women, especially those that are marginalised or disadvantaged
I spoke to Priyanka Devi, Soni Singh and Puja Devi, all community health workers in Mohammedpur, Haryana, for insight into the work they do and their hopes and dreams for women’s health and wellbeing, straight from the frontlines; here is what they have to say.
Priyanka Devi is a Health Educator who is currently pursuing her BA Program degree while working for her community for 8+ years now.
Soni Singh is a Wellness Facilitator hailing from Varanasi who has worked as a community health worker for 4+ years.
Puja Devi is a Community Engagement Officer hailing from Bihar. She has served as a board member and president for Sanjeevani Kalyan Samiti and worked for her community for 8+ years.
Q) What drew you to become a community health worker, particularly focusing on women's health?
Priyanka Devi - I love working in an environment where I am able to help people. I pass on knowledge and information about health and proper health behaviours, and it makes me happy to know that people’s lives and families are positively impacted by the work that I do.
Soni Singh - I used to be a teacher, primarily teaching young children as a tuition teacher. Four years ago, an opportunity with the Sanjeevani Kalyan Samiti fell into my lap and I took the leap because I found this to be a fascinating field. Now, I can proudly say that I love and enjoy my work as a Wellness Facilitator. I love helping people, and they recognise us in the community.
Puja Devi - I am now a Community Engagement Officer, but when I started working around eight years ago, my work started with health. I believe that people need to have access to health information. Health information should not come once you are already ill or sick; it needs to be there to help you not fall sick. Even now, health is a big part of my work and we inform people about how to stay healthy.
Q) What are some of the most common women's health concerns you encounter in your community?
Priyanka Devi - I noticed that most women aren’t fully aware of their reproductive system and lack knowledge about menstruation and menstrual hygiene. They often listen to family elders and follow age-old do’s and don’ts. However, my team and I have put considerable effort into making people aware of proper menstrual hygiene. There is nothing to be ashamed of; everyone is on this Earth thanks to the female reproductive system.
Soni Singh - Most women I encounter have problems related to their uterus and reproductive system. They often have urinary infections or pains internally that they are too shy to bring up to their families or even doctors. So often, women have come up to me during sessions, not just one or two, but sometimes even around ten women and have confided in me about their discomfort - irregular periods, stopping of periods, heavy flow, period cramps and so on. Women also often don’t eat properly, so we see a lot of issues like anaemia, low haemoglobin and low Vitamin B.
Puja Devi - I have seen that women do not care much about their health. They ignore their symptoms and don’t give them the same importance they would give to their husband’s or child’s health. Further, even if women take charge of their health and want to get a check-up done, they are unable to access services due to the lack of affordable quality care.
Q) Can you share a story of a time you made a significant impact on a woman's health journey?
Priyanka Devi - There was this one time that I helped a distressed family outside our office. Their son had gone missing, and the family was frantically looking for him everywhere. I brought them into my office, calmed them down and offered help and support. Activating our community health worker network, we were able to track down the boy very quickly and reunite him with his family!
Soni Singh - There was this college student who would fall ill every week. She would go to college, and after coming back, she would fall sick. Upon speaking to her and her family, I immediately recommended a haemoglobin test. The result of the test showed that her haemoglobin levels were dangerously low, and I followed up on her until it came up to 12 points.
Puja Devi - We have solved many problems for women in our community, like low haemoglobin, lack of iron, and anaemia. We have also supported women who often complain about having low energy, irritable mood and anxious feeling. Often, blood tests and check-ups reveal a lot of issues like low calcium, low iron, and low vitamins, and we set them on the correct course to change their diet and improve their health.
Q) What message would you like to share with women around the world on this International Day of Action for Women’s Health?
Priyanka Devi - As women, we should prioritise our health. If a woman is healthy, then her family will also be healthy. We must eat properly and on time and take care of ourselves because our health is important.
Soni Singh - Eat all your meals on time. It is very important for women to eat and get the proper nutrition. Only then will we be able to take care of those around us.
Puja Devi - When it comes to health, we often take advice from family members and elders. However, it is important to seek out health information from health workers who are able to better guide us towards a healthy life for us and our families.
Women community health workers are the cornerstone of closing the gap in women's healthcare. They share a cultural understanding with the communities they serve, fostering trust and open communication about often stigmatised health issues. This unique position allows them to empower women with knowledge, dispel myths, and navigate complex healthcare systems, ultimately leading to better health outcomes for women and their families.
Read more about our work in the domain of women's health here - https://swasti.org/our_work/Gender-and-Equity
Author Bio -
With a background in Sociology and a passion for reaching those most underserved and vulnerable, Kamalkoli Majumdar (KK) has spent considerable time visiting communities and speaking to people in an effort to understand issues, highlight problems and arrive at solutions. She believes that one cannot make decisions for the people unless they are one with the people, especially when it comes to women and their needs.
Says KK, “Community health workers, especially women community health workers, bridge a crucial gap and are able to provide invaluable insight on women's health issues and current problems. This International Day for Action for Women’s Health, we must pledge to enable and support them so that they are able to reach all women across the country. #LeaveNoOneBehind”
Author - Kamalkoli Majumdar
Editors - Siddharth Chaitanya & Mariam Afsar Alam
