A Professor of Social Demography in Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti (EKSU), Celinah Ogundana has called on government at all levels for meaningful collaboration with various communities on health care development.
The University Lecturer urged government on the partnership to deploy relevant MDAs such as Ministry of Women Affairs, National Orientation Agency and Non-governmental Organizations to engage with the communities for health education.
Professor Ogundana spoke while delivering the 94th Inaugural Lecture of the Institution themed “Beyond Binaries: Gender Relations and The Challenges of Sexual Healthcare Delivery in Nigeria”.
Ogundana explained that this action will make gender sensitive and culturally competent with the intervention of profound political will and civil society pressure.
She implored the government to develop and implement policies that address gender disparities in sexual healthcare access and delivery.
The Don equally urged the government to improve on sexual healthcare services by recruiting and training more personnel, making modern contraceptives available and extending the sexual health services to vulnerable populations.
She said: “Government (through relevant MDAs e. g. the Ministry of Women Affairs, National Orientation Agency, etc) and Non-governmental Organizations should engage with communities to promote health literacy, challenge harmful gender norms and empower women to take control of their sexual health.
“There should be an increase in the health budget and increased funding for gender sensitive and culturally competent care should be recognized as a priority and of urgent attention. Profound political will and civil society pressure are required to make this happen.
“Government should develop and implement policies that address gender disparities in sexual healthcare access and delivery because they are social determinants of health such as education, economic empowerment and social protection to reduce health inequities
“There should be improvement on sexual healthcare services, such as recruiting and training of more personnel, improving their welfare packages, making modern contraceptives available, affordable and accessible to the general populace.
“They should also enlarge access to safe and affordable family planning services and extend the provision of sexual health services to vulnerable populations as well as increased gender empowerment interventions such as girl child education”.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Joseph Babatola Ayodele who appreciated the inaugural lecturer said she has demonstrated her academic prowess as Professor of Sociology,saying “She highlighted some sexual concerns and major groups on sexual relations”
The Vice Chancellor stressed that the Institution will continue to support academics excellence to assist those in research
He solicited support for the administration of the state governor Biodun Oyebanji on more development strategies for the institution.