When most of the people are busy making fortunes for themselves, a nonagenarian woman who was supposed to be bed-ridden and fighting for life, has been serving the humanity selflessly. We salute this woman for setting a rare example.  According to a report of this newspaper on Wednesday, Jahiron Bewa, a 90-year-old woman, popularly known as ‘Banglar Nani’ (Grandmother of Bangla) has been voluntarily providing healthcare services to the poor villagers in Aditmari upazila of Lalmonirhat district for the last 44 years riding on a bicycle. It is surprising that everyday Jahiron visits more than 50 households of seven to eight villages and monthly she visits around 25 to 30 villages.  Her stamina deserves plaudits.

Although Jahiron has no academic knowledge on medicine, she is distributing some primary drugs including ‘Paracitamol’ along with providing consultancy to the pregnant women and different health-related problems of the children. She is providing healthcare services to the villagers free of cost. In 1973, she completed six-month training on health and family planning and since then she has been working as a health worker in the locality. As she has experience on midwifery, she can give pre-consultation to the pregnant women,

Women and children constitute about two third of the total population of the country. It is a fact that women are going ahead defying various hostile circumstances confronting them. Despite all these, how much freedom and rights do they enjoy in a patriarchal and male-dominated society? How many women and girls are conscious about their reproductive and sexual health?   Vast womenfolk in rural areas are still leading sub-human life due to abysmal poverty, illiteracy, curse of early marriage, pangs of premature motherhood and dowry. Malnutrition is squeezing their life force.  Age-old superstition, ignorance, taboos and shyness dissuade many women from discussing their heath-related problems openly. Many women are suffering from complications due to absence of maintenance of menstrual hygiene.   

  The government should take pragmatic measures to ensure right to women’s reproductive and sexual health.  The government hospitals in cities and district towns and the health centres at remote areas can play the vital roles. Following the example set by Jahiron Bewa other women should come forward to provide healthcare services to the poor villagers.