Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, Ged Kearney, shares a deeply personal experience that has ignited her commitment to reshaping the landscape of women’s health. Kearney’s transformative perspective shift stems from the tragic story of her own cousin, shedding light on the pressing need for change within the healthcare system.
The poignant narrative began when Kearney’s cousin sought help at a Melbourne hospital’s emergency department, complaining of numbness and tingling from her waist down. Kearney vividly recalls the distress her cousin experienced during that fateful visit. However, what followed was disheartening – healthcare professionals seemingly brushed aside her symptoms, even met with an eye roll. Kearney reveals that her cousin was handed a mere panadol, sent home, and advised to consult her general practitioner. Tragically, her cousin passed away later that night due to a ruptured aortic aneurysm, a devastating loss at the age of 60.
Kearney reflects on the disparity in treatment, questioning whether a 60-year-old man in a suit and tie seeking care for the same symptoms would have encountered a more responsive reaction. Although she acknowledges the absence of concrete research, Kearney’s experience has led her to ponder the gender biases that may exist within healthcare settings.
From misdiagnoses to delayed diagnoses, overmedication, dismissed symptoms, and insufficient research into women’s health issues, Kearney underscores the myriad challenges women face when seeking medical attention. She points out that extensive research substantiates the existence of inherent biases, resulting in significant disadvantages for women compared to men within the healthcare system.
During a women’s health panel discussion at a recent event hosted by Women’s Agenda in Melbourne, Nirelle Tolstoshev, Managing Director of Organon ANZ, emphasized the role of employers in addressing gender disparities in healthcare. Tolstoshev outlined how Organon, a multinational healthcare company, is taking proactive measures by implementing progressive policies, including offering a $3,000 payment to employees for accessing reproductive technologies and treatment. She stressed the importance of inclusive and progressive workplace policies and urged companies to regularly assess their policies against industry benchmarks and best practices.
Dr. Nisha Khot, Clinical Director of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Peninsula Health in Melbourne, added her perspective to the discussion, emphasizing the importance of diversity in organizational success. She aptly remarked, “If you are not at the table, you’re on the menu,” underscoring the significance of inclusivity in decision-making and problem-solving processes.
Samantha Payne, Co-founder & CEO of The Pink Elephant Support Network, shared her own experience with grief and miscarriage. Through her not-for-profit organization, Payne aims to provide support to those affected by early pregnancy loss. She passionately advocated for bereavement leave for women who experience miscarriages, highlighting the often-overlooked grief associated with such experiences.
The conversation at the event also addressed the impact of climate change on women’s health. Dr. Samantha Mooney, an Obstetrician & Gynaecologist and Fertility Specialist at Genea Fertility, positioned climate change as a women’s health crisis. She argued that acknowledging climate change as a health crisis for women is imperative, emphasizing the detrimental effects of pollution and climate change on reproductive health for both men and women. Dr. Mooney stressed the importance of including everyone in the dialogue surrounding women’s health, advocating for a comprehensive approach that encompasses the needs of both genders.
The event brought to light the multifaceted challenges faced by women in accessing healthcare and underscored the urgency of addressing these issues with a collective effort from healthcare providers, employers, and society at large.
