16-07-2025
'Women's health has just been ignored': Doctor calls for more research into women's health issues
Women's health has been ignored by researchers, and more studies are needed in wealthy and developing countries to tackle common problems, the Gates Foundation has found.
Dr Anita Zaidi, president of the foundation's Gender Equality Division, has stressed the importance of new research findings to improve the health of women across the world.
She highlighted how young Irish people can now get one HPV vaccine dose for protection against this virus instead of three vaccines, as was previously the case.
The one-jab system followed on from Kenyan research — the KENSHE study — funded by the Gates Foundation, which was established by Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates in 2000 to enhance healthcare and reduce poverty across the world.
Dr Zaidi urged governments to continue investing in research on women's health, even as some nations, including America and the UK, scale back.
'We have made so many advances in women's health, especially in R&D [research and development], so now not to have the funding available to scale them really bothers me,' she said.
"From an R&D perspective, it's been one of the most neglected areas in global health. It's neglected not just in global health but also in rich countries.
"Women's health has just been ignored.'
Giving birth can carry high risks and she argued this area of healthcare needed more study.
Guidelines for blood loss after pregnancy — post-partum haemorrhage — define 500ml in the first 24 hours as minor blood loss, including in Ireland.
However, the World Health Organization says the evidence base for this is unclear.
The foundation funded a project with 200,000 women to study this area.
From the research came a new type of measuring cloth, costing the equivalent of 40 cents each.
'You put it under the mum, with a calibrated sleeve at the end of it so all the blood is captured in there,' said Dr Zaidi.
'And once they used that sheet and a bundled approach it was so impactful. There was a 60% decrease in severe post-partum haemorrhage.'
Further improvements have followed.
'The other thing that they realised is the 500ml cut-off is too high, it should be 300ml,' she said.
'So now we know we should be treating post-partum haemorrhage when there's more than 300ml blood loss and we have to act quickly. If you could do that, you will save hundreds of thousands of women's lives.'
She also described a tiny AI-enabled ultrasound probe which plugs into smartphones.
This allows midwives in remote clinics to check babies efficiently.
'In Sudan, let's say, where one midwife may be taking care of 100 women, this helps you triage who really needs help the most,' Dr Zaidi said.
Dr Anita Zaidi: 'Innovations give me optimism, there are so many simple innovations that can be life-changing for people around the world.'
It is estimated to cost about 20 times less than a standard ultrasound and is described as 'a game-changer', although wider funding is needed.
Endometriosis, malnutrition, and pre-eclampsia in pregnancy are also concerns.
She noted the Irish Examiner's recent women's health survey drew attention to other gaps.
'Innovations give me optimism, there are so many simple innovations that can be life-changing for people around the world,' she said.
The foundation has committed €316m annually from 2023 to 2027 to maternal, newborn, and child health.
Then in May, Bill Gates pledged to give away 99% of his fortune over 20 years, saying the foundation will close in 2045.
Dr Zaidi said: 'It's enough time if we plan for it in the right way, and this is why we wanted to give enough notice.
'For the many of the innovations I've been talking about, they can be done in the next 10 to 15 years, but some will need a hand-off.'
Projects may need supports from government and private donors and she added: 'Who are the people who will step up and say 'the world really needs us'.'
Ireland's development aid funding came to over €2.2bn, or 0.57%, of GNP last year. The United Nations target is for countries to reach 0.7% of gross national income.
'[We are] appreciative of the commitment and leadership Ireland is showing for overseas assistance development, helping the poorest around the world and how they put women and girls as a very big priority,' Dr Zaidi said.
