Organized by Organon, the HERA Women’s Health Congress convened regional women’s health experts in Abu Dhabi from 23-24 September to explore how critical gaps in family planning services in MENA can be reduced
- The event was held to mark World Contraception Day, an annual milestone which seeksto raise awareness of the importance of women having the right to choose the number, timing and spacing of her children
Organon, the global women’s health company with the vision of creating a better and healthier every day for every woman around the world, is marking World Contraception Day 2022 in the region by hosting the HERA Women’s Health Congress in Abu Dhabi, UAE between 23 – 24 September. Convening experts from across the region in women’s health, with a focus on the importance of family planning programs and methods, the event is being held as part of Organon’s mission to increase awareness of women’s unmet healthcare needs.
“At Organon, we understand that healthy women are the backbone to thriving, resilient and dynamic societies. By ensuring access to family planning programs and methods, countries increase educational and economic opportunities for girls and young women and boost their pace of economic growth and development. In fact, for every dollar spent on interventions for reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, $120 of economic benefits are generated,” said Razan Gharaibeh, UAE and Oman Country Lead, Organon.
“Despite this fact, persistent barriers to family planning, including cultural barriers and a lack of information and access, remain. This means that many women worldwide suffer from poor health, and its financial implications particularly in low and middle-income countries. At Organon, we are delighted to be joined by so many esteemed experts at this year’s HERA Women’s Health Congress so that together we can explore how to address the critical gaps in unmet women’s needs,” Gharaibeh added.
Among the topics to be discussed throughout the HERA Women’s Health Congress are patient perceptions of contraceptives, including contraception myths and cultural barriers; the importance of birth spacing and maternal and infant health outcomes; and rethinking contraception counselling, with a focus on the role of health care practitioners.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Fadi Mirza, FACOG. Consultant OB Gyn and MFM. Head of Department, Latifa Hospital, UAE. Adjunct faculty, MBRU (UAE) and Columbia University (USA), said, “Without proper access to family planning services, both the health of women and their unborn children suffer. From maternal death and disability, new born mortality and morbidity, unintended pregnancies have a heavy toll on women and their families, and healthcare systems. Thus, the healthcare community must work together to find innovative ways to overcome the existing barriers in order to improve women’s health.”
Dr. Sawsan AlMadhi, Director General, Friends of Cancer Patients, UAE, added, “At Friends of Cancer Patients, we understand the importance of advancing women’s health and the myriad of benefits it can bring to entire communities. The HERA Women’s Health Congress provides an important platform for healthcare stakeholders to work together to collectively advance women’s family planning needs and other unmet healthcare needs, which ultimately empower women.”
Held annually, World Contraception Day seeks to raise awareness of the importance of family planning and contraception, including the right of women to choose the number, timing and spacing of their children. Unfortunately, each year, over 250 million women go without access to safe, modern methods of contraception, of which over 170 million use no contraception at all.Yet, without universal access to contraception, barriers remain to women’s empowerment and gender equality in their families and societies, which hampers the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
