Healthcare Professionals Might Overlook Women's Concerns, Innovative Digital Solutions Could Demand Their Attentiveness
In Nigeria, the realm of female wellbeing health technology, known as femtech, has been gaining traction since 2016, attracting significant venture capital funding globally. This technological advancement offers digital apps and tools that enable women to track symptoms and reproductive health changes, providing a means to combat the challenges women face in diagnosis.
One such challenge is the phenomenon of self-imposed diagnoses and exaggerated symptoms, which can cloud the accuracy of diagnosis for women in Nigeria. This issue is further compounded by a long-standing history in the medical field of dismissing women's physical ailments as psychological in nature.
This was the experience of journalist Nana Aisha Salaudeen, who suffered from persistent pelvic pain, heavy bleeding, and frequent urination for several years. Despite her persistent complaints, medical doctors often questioned or dismissed her symptoms, attributing them to psychological issues or external factors.
Women are more prone to suffer from anxiety and depression than men, and this may contribute to self-imposed diagnoses. However, it is crucial to note that women are less likely to be diagnosed with and treated for pain, particularly in reproductive health issues. Delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis are common healthcare problems in Nigeria, and doctors can be guilty of dismissing female reproductive health concerns based on previous similar cases.
Negligence in healthcare is common in Nigeria due to time constraints and long queues, with consultations often lasting only five minutes. This brief time frame can hinder accurate diagnosis, as symptoms may not be adequately communicated. A clear and factual communication of symptoms can aid in accurate diagnosis, and initiatives such as the use of the Non-pneumatic Anti-Shock Garment (NASG) in referral hospitals to manage obstetric hemorrhage have shown utility in reducing adverse maternal outcomes in low-resource settings.
Telemedicine can provide a solution to these challenges by offering a sense of detached trust that allows for more intimate conversation around sensitive symptoms. Telemedicine platforms can also reduce wait times and stress for doctors, potentially increasing their attention to patients. Additionally, they can offer extra earnings to doctors in Nigeria, potentially boosting their commitment to offering more attentive care.
In the UK, endometriosis can take an average of 7.5 years to be diagnosed, highlighting the need for improved diagnostic accuracy in Nigeria. Changing doctors or hospitals can help women receive better and more attentive care, and women in Nigeria can confirm hunches more accurately by carrying out tests or sending samples directly to labs.
The femtech sector in Africa, including Nigeria, is still in its early stages of development. However, collaborations supported by global organizations such as WHO and the International Confederation of Midwives focus on education, competency-based training in family planning and comprehensive abortion care, and strengthening midwifery services to enhance reproductive health care quality across Africa, including Nigeria.
In conclusion, while challenges in diagnosing women's health issues persist in Nigeria, technological advancements, improved education, and a shift in mindset towards women's health can pave the way for more accurate and timely diagnoses, ultimately leading to improved healthcare outcomes for women in Nigeria.
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