Has it ever dawned on you that every minute, a woman dies in childbirth? Do you know what that means? EVERY MINUTE!

Did you know that every day, 6,800 people are newly infected with HIV/AIDS—half are under the age of 25 and 60 percent of those are women or girls.

Do you ever think about how the health of women, particularly girls affects you? Imagine if health care facilities worked effectively in Nigeria….

In many countries, women are the primary providers for their families, not only taking care of the household but also working outside the home. Yet many do not enjoy basic human rights, including freedom from violence, quality health care, the right to education, the right to own land or property or the right to decide who or when to marry.

It is so sad that in this age where development has evolved, women are still suffering greatly in getting family planning and in the process of child delivery. Why should a woman die giving life?

In Nigeria, the health care systems need a major transformation. Young people do not have access to adequate health care services. Even though the government claims that youth centers exist, young people cannot access them and they definitely cannot afford to use a public health facility.

I have had the privilege to interview young teenage girls on how they access and use health care services. It’s unsurprising they all confirmed that they cannot afford to go to a health facility for treatment but would rather visit native doctors or take self medications which endangers their lives. Even though they use these means of medications, they don’t believe in its potency and just use them since they are readily available and cheap. Yet I wonder, isn’t access to health care services and information a fundamental human right in line with the ICPD which Nigeria is a signatory to?

It just occurred to me that if my parents do not work for the government and  they cannot afford to pay my hospital bills, I cannot access any youth friendly health center, I could not get health care services. Shouldn’t there be some form of health insurance for young people particularly young women.

Imagine if we had health insurance for young people in Nigeria, then I can probably get braces for my teeth, get a pap smear done for cervical cancer screening, get my breast examined for breast cancer and get a general medical check-up and hope that other youths can freely seek for help and information that they need as well.

The need for a public health facility that has youth friendly center integrated into it cannot be over emphasized. Otherwise, a health insurance that works. It is possible!