Sexually starved women cry out to Government for help

Sexually Starved women aged between 50 and 65 years from South Western Uganda are pleading for free access to hormone boosters after husbands abandoning them for younger women.

The Women from Rukungiri, Ntungamo, Kisoro, Rubanda, Rukiga, and Kabale Districts were speaking at a Dialogue organized by Action Group for Health, Human Rights, HIV, and AIDS –AGHA Uganda, an organization that works to promote Human rights and Health Financing Advocacy.

While discussing the reproductive health rights, the starved women revealed that whenever they approach old age and start losing sexual ability, men usually abandon them for extramarital relationships with younger ladies.

Led by Natukunda Peace Kaconco 56, from Ntungamo, the women said many of them are still sexually active, but due to reduced hormones in their aging body, they find it hard to meet their husbands’ demands.

They asked Government to provide access to free oestrogen boosters. According to Health Experts, Oestrogen, a body hormone that controls sexual activity reduces gradually after menopause.

Kedress Tiburihare, a resident of Rukiga District said Government should design a law to protect older women from sexually active husbands who sometimes divorce them to marry younger women.

The Kabale District Health Officer Dr. Alfred Besigensi said Hormonal boosters are not part of the essential medicines received by public health facilities and they are usually expensive. However, Dr. Alfred appealed to Government to consider availing funds through the Ministry of Health so that such services can be accessible by older women.

Meanwhile, the Women also decried negligence by officials at Government Health facilities. They demanded a special clinic in public facilities. Dr, Alfred said it was impossible to have such facilities at the moment, but he pledged to advocate for a special day for older persons at Government Hospitals, a move that was welcomed by AGHA Executive Director Flavia Kyomukama