‘Empowering women is empowering all of us’

A free health screening, including a blood sugar test, was conducted at the kick-off celebration of the Women’s Health Month at the Fiesta Resort and Spa yesterday. The theme of this year’s event is “Empowering Women Together: Power to Her.” (Frauleine Villanueva-Dizon)

Empowering women to take better care of themselves as they take care of others is among the messages sent to the women in the CNMI as the kick-off celebration for this year’s Women’s Health Month was marked with a proclamation signing at the Fiesta Resort and Spa yesterday.

Gathering for the start of the month-long celebration are women especially, those in the child-bearing age, as well as community partners and providers, Cabinet members, lawmakers, and government officials.

“Women need to take the time for themselves. Take the ‘me time’ you’ve got to really take care of yourselves,” Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. chief executive officer Esther Muna said.

Muna said while women are used to taking care of others, it is important that they ensure their health as well.

“We provide, for this month particularly, free screening. You need to be able to see your doctor; you need to be able to do self breast exams. You have to take care of yourself,” Muna said.

In her inspirational speech, CHCC-OBGYN Department chair Dr. Jeanolivia Grant said that to empower women is to empower others as well.

“Empowering women means empowering men to stand beside us as partners in improving the lives of our children and of our families. And if we, men and women, work together, we can return power to her, changing the lives of all of us for the better,” Grant said.

“When all is said and done, empowering women means empowering all of us,” she added.

For Grant, among the ways to improve women’s health is to provide parity.

“The biggest thing that equalizes health is income. If we make sure that women get the education they need and we make sure there’s equity and pay, women can do what they need to do. They just need the opportunity and that’s the biggest thing, to take care of diseases and to take care of abuse and neglect, and a lot of the other things,” Grant said.

“We talk about empowering their health, but making changes in their economic conditions and in their living situations in the communities where they are, actually changes their health and empowering them to be healthier. It’s not just about going to the doctor, it’s much broader than that,” she added.

Notwithstanding, access to health services are still important, and according to Grant, CHCC has been doing everything that it can to help women get the care that they need.

With various grants being awarded to the Division of Public Health and the hospital, as well as hospital sliding fees, Grant said, “Even if you don’t have insurance, there are means to get you the health care you need.”

“Sliding fee is the program that our CEO Esther Muna set in place to allow those without insurance to come in and be seen at a price they can afford or no charge,” she added.

Lt. Gov. Victor Hocog signed the proclamation and while echoing the need to empower the women, called also on the women to support their men.

He also recognized the power of the women, citing as an example, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres’ absence to attend to and take care of his wife, Lady Diann, who recently gave birth to their child.

At the event, providers such as the nursing students from the Northern Marianas College were present to provide free health screening. Exhibits from partners such as Marianas Health Service and Hardt Eye Clinic were also present.

“These are the partners that we work with daily or monthly,” Maternal and Child Health Bureau administrator TaAnn Kabua said.