Men should embrace healthcare research

 

Men are, in many respects, touted as building blocks to development, sometimes to a fault because they, sometimes, monopolise positions.

It is for the very reason that, once they start, men do not seem to know where to stop that we have had campaigns aimed at keeping men in check. We are talking of, just recently, the 50:50 women empowerment campaign premised on the fact that men have too much in their plate of power.

This is, to an extent, true. Come to think of it, despite making up 48 percent or so of the population, men occupy many positions of influence, starting with the presidency where two men preside over the affairs of the majority— namely girls and women.

It, therefore, smacks of hypocrisy of the highest order to learn that, despite holding sway in most sectors of national development, men shy away from participating in healthcare delivery research.

We feel that something is wrong with men here, considering that, without good health, nationals perish.

As well-expressed by the researcher from Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust, research that captures all sexes has high chances of being representative and, in the health sector— which deals with issues of life and death— representative samples can go a long way in saving lives. Literally.

So, while we appreciate that participation in research activities is voluntary, we feel, strongly, that men must come to the health research party and, through their selfless contribution to research findings, help in the creation of a healthy nation. Malawi cannot develop if its citizenry are constantly sick.

If it is a question of leadership, one cannot be complete if they shun life-giving initiatives.

The onus is on men to contribute to overall national wellbeing through voluntary participation in research.