World Health Day — My Health, My Right | Interview with Dr. Claudia Chisari
Under the theme “My Health, My Right,” this year’s World Health Day emphasises the fundamental right and opportunity for everyone to access quality healthcare, alongside essential services such as education and decent living conditions, among others.
In celebration of World Health Day, our Programme Manager Gianna sat down with an inspiring female founder in the health tech sector to discuss her mission to reduce barriers in the healthcare industry, the challenges she faces, the evolution in the sector, and calls to action to ease the gender-health gap.
Dr Claudia Chisari Bio:
Dr Claudia Chisari is the CEO and Founder of Bloume Health, the first AI-powered digital care solution for pelvic pain (e.g endometriosis). Claudia did one of the first PhDs in the world developing digital therapeutics in pelvic pain at KCL and is one of the world leading scientists in this area.
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Q: Hi Claudia! Can you tell us a little more about your background, your experience and your work at Bloume Health.
Claudia: My background is in developing digital technologies to support people with persistent pain, particularly pelvic pain in women. I’ve spent almost a decade doing research in this area at King’s College London, culminating with a PhD in Vulvodynia. Then, I realised there was a significant opportunity to make a difference by developing a commercial solution available to women with pelvic pain. Of course, lived experience was the reason why this started in the first place: I was frustrated by the lack of solutions that I experienced when I experienced these symptoms. I quickly realised that so many other women were experiencing the same barriers, and I wanted to change that.
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Q: What does this year’s World Health Day theme of “My health, my right” mean to you?
Claudia: To me, “My health, my right” means being able to reduce barriers to healthcare access, and provide people with solutions that allow them to have full autonomy and agency about their health. Women have historically been suffering from the lack of both. A “good” recent example is the US recent change in abortion rights, which is a huge step back for women. We need to work towards solutions that reduce obstacles to accessing care, making healthcare affordable, give people the right to choose what to do with their bodies.
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Q: In your opinion, what are some of the most pressing issues contributing to the gender health gap, and how can health-focused startups play a role in addressing them?
- Addressing the gynaecological waitlist for treatment in the NHS
- Not enough funding in women’s health research and women led businesses
- Recognising that while some diseases are associated with mortality and are a major funding focus, living with long-term pain and associated repercussions (e.g. depression, loss of work, inability to enjoy life, social disruption) can change your life, too. There are too many people with long term conditions that need support and research.
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Q: As a founder, what role do you believe technology plays in advancing the goals of World Health Day, and how do you ensure that as you grow, you continue to create meaningful value to promote health and well-being for all members of society?
Claudia: Tech has such a big role! From deep tech to digital health, tech has the ability to reach millions of people, provide more efficient solutions, and go beyond our current understanding of healthcare support. AI will definitely (and already is) enable that even more.
With respect to meaningful value, there are 3 main aspects Bloume has been built on (and always will): data safety, being evidence- based, not giving bogus claims on our products.
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Q: Lastly, what advice or recommendation would you suggest that governments/regulatory bodies address or put into place in order to create some real beneficial changes to society?
Claudia: There have been so many advances the past few years, which is so inspiring. Still, there are a few things that in my view need more attention:
- More investment in healthcare, particularly women.
- A real focus on sustainability and the climate emergency
- Focus on real foods, and put harsh measures to reduce ultra-processed foods.
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Thank you Claudia for sharing your message with us and continuing your inspiring and groundbreaking work aiming to close the gender-health gap and providing access to equal healthcare options.
For more information about Metta and the work we do, head to our website. Check out our podcast Metta Talks to hear the latest about startups, innovation, and sustainability. The team is also on LinkedIn — reach out to us!
#WorldHealthDay #MyHealthMyRight
Check out some of our other articles —
- How to make your startup both innovative and sustainable
- Inspiring Inclusion for #IWD2024 — Metta Interview Series (1/5)
- What you need to know before investing in startups
- Bust cycles: what startups need to consider in the current market
- Gender Equality should be central on all days of the year, not only on International Women’s Day
- Accelerating the Global Transition to Net-Zero
- Ecosystems Thinking
- 15 years in Climate Tech — What’s Changed?
Want to chat? Let’s talk 🗣
Gianna Pinasco — gianna@metta.partners | https://www.linkedin.com/in/giannapinasco/
