Miriam Mutebi, Consultant Breast Surgical Oncologist, Immediate Past President of AORTIC- Africa, and UICC Board Member, shared on LinkedIn:
“Women’s health has momentum. Are our health systems ready to deliver on it?
Later on, still on Day 2, I had the pleasure of moderating a lively policy roundtable built around one question:
What will it take for women to actually feel the benefits of today’s policy commitments?
Dr. Magda Robalo, my fellow member of the Africa Breast Cancer Council, opened with reflections that set the tone for a rich exchange.
Anna Bode, from Kearney, then brought us back to earth with findings from their new Health Index.
Just 38% of health care and life sciences organisations show maturity in advancing women’s health.
Across six areas of progress, from public health advocacy and education to research, care delivery, investment and data, none scored above 42%. Only 36% had built gender-health considerations into their benefits, infrastructure or service design.
Ambition is growing, but institutional action has yet to catch up.
Around the table, we explored what it would take to close that gap:
- Sustainable financing,
- Diagnostic capacity,
- Integrated services,
- Investment in the health workforce, and
- Reaching the women who are still underserved. One point stayed with me.
We cannot keep asking women to seek care early if health systems are not ready to respond when they do. The real measure of progress is whether a woman can get timely, connected and continuous care when she needs it.
Every policy we adopt, and every innovation we launch should be judged by that.
My thanks to everyone around the table for their perspectives, and to Sofiat Akinola, the Roche Diagnostics team and partners for convening this important conversation.
We have the momentum. Now we have to build with it.
You can also read:
Miriam Mutebi: What Does Resilience Really Mean for Women Navigating Our Healthcare Systems?
