In China a woman was recently appointed health minister because the former minister, a man, had failed to deal with the spreading Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in a proper manner.

China is not the only place in the world where a woman holds the portfolio of health. In many countries — mostly East Asian ones — the same post has been given to women.

Isn’t this cultural achievement by Asian women — who are generally considered weak and submissive compared to European and American women — strange?

Women got the job not because they had any magic powers to produce recovery and show mercy or the absence of qualified men to do the job but because they know the illness and how to treat it.

In my opinion, women are more capable than men to take over ministries of health in all countries.

From childhood, women deal with matters of health more than men do. The feelings and worries they express when they find their sons or fathers or husbands or brothers ill as well as the physical and mental efforts they make to take care of patients are enough to prove it. They often sacrifice their comfort and interest in the service of patients.

I have noticed that most women give importance to taking precautionary measures to deal with changes in environment. For example, they always carry tablets to treat common diseases — such as fever and cough — and anti-mosquito creams during long journeys, thinking that they might be useful to protect herself and her family.

A woman herself is a mobile health ministry and wherever she goes, she keeps herself busy with caring and protecting others. I am sure that with these qualities she would be capable of confronting all contagious diseases.

I know that these qualities would not be enough for women to take over posts of health minister. That job requires administrative capabilities.

But my question is why don’t we give a woman a chance to prove her capabilities if she has administrative capabilities and personal qualities?

I am sure that she will be more successful than a man in the job as she has the natural feminine qualities essential for a health minister.

Many of these qualities will not be seen in men who often look at this profession as just another job. They will look at cases with the firm feelings of a man. Subsequently, they will not take any measure or will not take up a matter with the seriousness it demands.

These are the problems facing many health ministries in the world, especially in Arab countries.

Health ministers are concerned more with administrative and financial matters than with health and humanitarian aspects. And this is the crux of the problem.

Arab News Features 30 May 2003