136 chapter 6: Health exams
Working for change
What women with disabilities can do
We can always ask to have breast and
pelvic exams when we see a health
worker. Also, we can get together as a
group and study this and other health
books to gather as much information
Learn as much as
possible about health
exams from this and
other health books.
as we can about the exams women
should have. Then we can ask local
health workers, and also hospital and clinic directors, to make
these services available to us. As a group we can tell the Ministry of Health how
important these exams are to women with disabilities.
People First makes easy-to-understand health booklets
In 1997, several women with learning
difficulties started a women’s group, called
People First Liverpool, so they could learn
more about women’s health care. They worked
with a women’s health clinic to produce several
booklets that would make health exams easier
to understand. To find out more about these
booklets, see page 381.
Learning about sexuality and fertility
Kranti and Sabala are health workers in one of
the poorest communities in India, where most
women, with and without disabilities, are
unable to get any health care.
They have taught women how to
examine and understand their own
bodies. They have looked at problems,
such as unusual vaginal discharge, and
discussed fertility awareness and sexuality. They
have focused on finding remedies to problems that the women can do
themselves and that do not require lots of resources.
A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities 2007