KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian organization is looking to boost its profile and become a voice for women's health in the Southeast Asian country. The Obstetrical and Gynecological Society of Malaysia (OGSM) announced its push to boost healthcare for women in the Islamic country this week. It hopes that through its efforts, it can brand itself as a voice for women facing health conundrums in the country. Gunasegaran P.T. Rajan told reporters that their efforts would help decrease health risks for women, especially during childbirth. “We hope to be the one to provide the data and information on women's healthcare, playing a supporting role to the Health Ministry. So in a way, we are trying to brand ourselves towards this,” he said at the 10th Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists International Scientific Congress on Wednesday. He added that the government had taken a new role whereby everyone “had a right to information and healthcare” and so standard guidelines were being placed to inform patients and get them involved in the decision-making process. “For example, on caesarean section. Ten years ago we will tell mothers that they need a c-section and that's that. But now, as early as possible we will let them know what to expect and the complications that comes from it. So with this, women are taking charge of their own health and they become part of the decision-making process along with the doctors,” he said. Gunasegaran, who is the organising chairman for the congress, listed three most common emergency – bleeding during childbirth, embolism and pre-eclampsia or hypertension during pregnancy. He reported that in Malaysia, 200 mothers died every year during childbirth and this translated to 27 deaths per 100,000 births. He said the best figure worldwide was 10 deaths per 100,000 birth and although the country's figure was considered quite good, it still needed to be lowered. “We are hoping that all this teachings and imparting skills will improve the figures and reduce deaths due to complications in childbirth,” he said.
