Edel Coffey: Women are no longer willing to remain silent – our health depends on it

Although it was rightly criticised for its lack of diversity, the fact that a conference about women’s health in Ireland needed to be held at all told a story in itself

A study published in medical journal JAMA Surgery earlier this year showed that women who are operated on by a male surgeon are 32 per cent more likely to die than when a woman performs the procedure. Picture: Getty

Much has been made of this week’s Women's Health Conference, organised by Lisa Chambers, the Fianna Fáil senator. Set up to address the taboos around women’s healthcare in Ireland and the difficulties we face, it was certainly a positive idea. However, the lack of diversity on its panels meant it was rightly criticised for not being representative of Irish women.

At the time of writing this column, the event had yet to happen so I’m ...