Two-day summit on women's health held

New Delhi: The Federation of Obstetricians and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) recently concluded a two-day summit on women's health and empowerment in India. The Aarogya Mahila Summit, supported by Global Health Strategies and Abbott India, was organized at Hyatt Regency in New Delhi on August 28 and 29.

The Summit was inaugurated with a lamp lighting ceremony by Dr Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Ashwini Choubey, Minister of State (MoS), Health and Family Welfare; Dr Nandita Palshetkar, FOGSI President and Dr Meena Agnihotri and Dr Hrishikesh Pai, Joint Summit Convenors.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan spoke at length about past and ongoing government collaborations with FOGSI in addressing women's health issues.

He said, "FOGSI's passion for serving people, and their consistency in addressing women's health pro-bono is unparalleled. Through a meeting of minds and a meeting of actions between FOGSI and the Health Ministry, we can address many issues together, such as ending maternal and under-5 mortality, anaemia and family planning. We are planning to launch new initiatives and we look forward to your support in order to ensure health for all."

The summit brought together the private sector, associations, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Niti Aayog, NGOs such as Jhpiego and international organizations such as USAID, WHO, UNICEF, MSD for Mothers together to discuss a diverse set of issues, including family planning, reproductive rights, maternal and child health, and non-communicable diseases, set against diverse backdrops of legislation, quality care, and research. Dr Nandita Palshetkar said, "Years of gender inequality has meant that a woman is still not in control of her own body and her health. This is where the role of advocacy and education are crucial in empowering women with choice, freedom and autonomy to make decisions about their own body...."