Today Abigail spoke on the important issue of women's health in light of Endometriosis Awareness Month.
Abigail said: I move:
(1) That this House notes that March 2022 is Endometriosis Awareness Month, which raises awareness for endometriosis, a chronic condition affecting more than 11 per cent of Australian women and over 6 per cent of women in New South Wales.
(2) That this House notes that a report by the Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology entitled Managing Endometriosis: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Women in Australia, published in 2020, found that:
(a) people with endometriosis wait an average of 6.4 years before being diagnosed and often undergo surgeries that fail to improve chronic pain;
(b) there are gaps in Australia's healthcare system for people with endometriosis, including in areas of mental health and specialist pain services;
(c) there is need for greater education at the practitioner level on endometriosis symptoms and treatment; and
(d) there is a need to reduce average diagnosis times, which can be done through targeted action by governments.
(3) That this House calls on the New South Wales Government to support those with endometriosis by increasing funding for endometriosis research, education programs and specialist services.
You can find the full transcript on Hansard, here.