May 28 International Day of Action for Women’s Health

May 28 is the International Day of Action for Women’s Health, which for over 30 years, women’s* rights advocates and allies in the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) movement worldwide have commemorated in diverse ways. Year after year, women, girls, advocates and allies have continued to take action and stand up for sexual and reproductive rights for what they are: an indivisible and inalienable part of our human rights.

Read more: http://www.may28.org/

World Thyroid Day 2018: Lifestyle and diet change for better thyroid management

World Thyroid Day is an annual awareness day that was established in 2008 during the congress of the European Thyroid Association (ETA). It focuses on increasing awareness of thyroid health and educating about prevention and treatment of thyroid diseases. 
World Thyroid Day is an annual awareness day that has been held on May 25.The theme for 2018 is  ”Lifestyle and diet change for better thyroid management”
The thyroid gland, often referred to as simply the thyroid, is one of the largest endocrine glands. This butterfly‑shaped gland is located in the neck. Hormones produced by the thyroid influence critical body functions and regulate metabolism, therefore thyroid health is extremely important. 
Thyroid disorders are very common worldwide, they affect people of all ages and have a large range of symptoms. The most common thyroid disorders include hyperthyroidism (abnormally increased thyroid activity), hypothyroidism (abnormally decreased thyroid activity), thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid gland) and thyroid cancer. They are often caused by iodine deficiency. World Thyroid Day aims at increasing public awareness of thyroid deceases, namely the importance of their timely diagnosis, treatment and prevention. World Thyroid Day events and activities are coordinated by the European Thyroid Association, the American Thyroid Association, the Latin American Thyroid Society, and the Asia & Oceania Thyroid Association.

https://anydayguide.com/calendar/561

Worldwide, around 200 million people suffer from thyroid disorders, with almost 50% of cases remaining undiagnosed. This has consequences for health and well‑being, since this little organ regulates processes that are essential to survival. Creating and raising awareness of thyroid disorders is the aim of International Thyroid Awareness Week (May 22 to 28), which Merck is also supporting and is being held for the ninth time.  “It’s not you. It‘s your thyroid” is the theme of this year’s Thyroid Awareness Week. With this theme, Thyroid Federation International (TFI) – the initiator of Thyroid Awareness Week – wants to make it clear that thyroid disorders lead to symptoms that are often misinterpreted by those affected.

http://www.merckgroup.com/en/media/topics/thyroid_awareness_week_2017.html

International Day to End Obstetric Fistula  23 May

23 May 2018
May 23 is the United Nations’ (UN) International Day to End Obstetric Fistula, which promotes action towards treating and preventing obstetric fistula, a condition that affects many girls and women in developing countries. In its resolution A/RES/67/147, the General Assembly calls on the international community to use the International Day to significantly raise awareness and intensify actions towards ending obstetric fistula.
Obstetric fistula is one of the most serious and tragic injuries that can occur during childbirth. It is a hole between the birth canal and the bladder or rectum caused by prolonged, obstructed labour without treatment.
The condition typically leaves women incontinent, and as a result they are often shunned by their communities. Sufferers often endure depression, social isolation and deepening poverty. Many women live with the condition for years – or even decades – because they cannot afford to obtain treatment.
An estimated 2 million women in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, the Arab region, and Latin America and the Caribbean are living with this injury, and some 50,000 to 100,000 new cases develop worldwide each year. Most fistulae occur among women living in poverty in cultures where a woman’s status and self-esteem may depend almost entirely on her marriage and ability to bear children. Yet fistula is almost entirely preventable. Its persistence is a sign that health systems are failing to meet women’s essential needs.
Obstetric fistula symptoms generally manifest in the early post-partum period. However, other, equally severe symptoms such as psychological trauma, deteriorating health, increasing poverty, and social stigmatization by family and friends can and often do occur.
Obstetric fistula can be prevented and in most cases treated. Reconstructive surgery with a trained, expert fistula surgeon can repair the injury, with success rates as high as 90 percent for less complex cases. The average cost of fistula treatment—including surgery, post-operative care and rehabilitation support—is $300 per patient.
Obstetric fistula is preventable; it can largely be avoided by:

• delaying the age of first pregnancy;
• the cessation of harmful traditional practices; and
• timely access to obstetric care.

The prevention and treatment of obstetric fistula contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3, which is ensuring healthy lives; in this case, improving maternal health.

UNITED NATIONS