(The Daily Trust) The women wing of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, FCT Province 4 held its annual convention recently.

The focus of the 2013 edition was on the improvement of healthy lifestyles among women. Although the theme of the programme was “The dependable woman and reawakening to end-time”, issues relating to health were accorded much attention during the convention.

Wife of the Pastor in charge of the FCT Province 4 and convener of the meeting, Pastor Foluke Babade said women cannot fulfill their God-given roles at home, if their health is compromised.

She said women grapple with a number of health challenges including infertility so arming them with adequate information about how to handle identified cases would be a step in the right direction.

Pastor Babade noted that the concern of the church is to ensure its female members access good and affordable health care.

She announced to the women that the Jehova Shalom Maternity Centre at the church’s headquarters has been opened for public use. She explained, “This is situated in a clean environment at the provincial headquarters, Chapel of Life, Durumi.

“Soon after the February Holy Ghost Service with the theme ‘Wonderful’, the reign of God’s wonder was experienced in our maternity as two babies were produced the preceding Saturday morning.

“The first, a baby girl was born and within 30 minutes interval, the next baby, a boy arrived.”

She revealed that the church is making arrangements to purchase an ambulance to boost services provided in the maternity.

Pastor Babade called on the participants at the convention to access the services provided at the centre.

Also at the convention was the Consultant Obstetrician/Gynecologist of the Asokoro General Hospital Abuja, Dr Olugbenga Bello, who gave a talk on Reproductive Health.

Dr Bello told the Redeemed women that no fertility related problem is hopeless.

He said, “Good reproductive health implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life, the capacity to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so.”

According to him, it is important that men and women have sufficient information and access to safe, effective, affordable and acceptable method of family planning of their choice as well as have right to appropriate health care services that enable women to safely go through pregnancy and child birth.

The consultant gynecologist cited that reproductive and sexual health account for 20 percent (for women) and 14 percent (for men) of global burden of ill-health, but in Nigeria, there is maternal mortality of 540/100,000 live births; infant mortality 100/1000. The country’s HIV/AIDS burden is third largest in the world.

He identified other issues bordering on gender discrimination as adolescent sexuality, conception and infertility.

Others are: child spacing/contraception, reproductive cancer screening and menopause.

Wife of the Assistant Pastor in charge of the province Mrs Adunni Imonhiosen while making a presentation on Personal Hygiene noted the need for women to adopt healthy lifestyle to prepare them for optimal performance in the house of God.

“Proper hygiene boosts our self-esteem and helps us communicate effectively with confidence,” she said. She taught the women the necessary steps to maintain personal hygiene including general cleaning of the body.

The 2013 convention also featured a session of cervical cancer campaign. Participants were informed that cervical cancer is cancer of the cervix caused by Human Papiloma Virus which is passed between man and woman during unprotected sex.

They were told that the cancer can be prevented through different methods of regular screening like pap smear, visual inspection with acetic acid among others.

Special arrangement for free cervical cancer screening at the National Hospital Abuja was made for interested participants.

Other forms of medical examinations were carried out in two, of the three-day event.

Pastor-in-Charge of FCT 4 Dr Dele Babade rated the 2013 convention activities high and called on women to make effective use of all they were taught.

Some of the participants acknowledged that definite transformation had taken place in their lives.

Mrs Omotunde Omolola from Miracle Area of the Redeemed Christian Church of God Lugbe said she had been equipped to affect others for Christ.

For Mrs Chinyere Ofu of the Jesus Assembly, RCCG, Games Village, a firm decision is now taken to live for Jesus alone.

The three-day convention was rounded off with thanksgiving service on Sunday.

The Guest Speaker, Pastor Grace Obanure, wife of Special Assistant to the General Overseer, West Coast, Ghana then called on women to learn to thank God for everything.