English: I'm pleased to be speaking in this hugely important debate today. We've heard about the number of diseases that are unique to women and also a whole host of other diseases that disproportionately impact women's health and well-being. One of the key focuses of the Welsh Government's 'A Healthier Wales: our Plan for Health and Social Care' is preventative healthcare, and a number of the diseases that impact women's health are largely preventable or have much better outcomes if they're diagnosed at an early stage. Cardiovascular disease is an example. Despite cardiovascular disease being the leading cause of death in women, there is often an assumption by some health professionals and the general public that women are at a lower risk of this disease. Whilst this is true to some extent, this difference diminishes with age, particularly over the age of 50, and potentially even earlier in women who experience early menopause. So, here again, the menopause is significant in women's health. That is backed up, of course, by research, and it shows that, when it comes to cardiovascular disease, women are more likely to be diagnosed more slowly or completely misdiagnosed when compared to men. This, of course, can have devastating impacts on the individual's mortality and morbidity. Some of the risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease are preventable, including lifestyle choices, diet, high blood pressure and cholesterol. With that in mind, I believe that health screening can also play an important role in preventing disease in the first place. As I understand it, we were all supposed to, in Wales, receive an annual screening at the age of 50 - everybody. And I somehow think that that hasn't happened, first of all because of COVID, but hasn't actually happened after COVID because of the pressures that has brought to bear. That clearly is part of a preventative course of action, and I just hope that we can get that back on track. Education, of course, is a major factor in helping to prevent disease and diagnose it at an earlier age. How many women, for example, are aware of cardiovascular disease being the biggest threat to their health? I chose this deliberately because I almost anticipated what everybody else would speak about. It's interesting, isn't it, that it isn't one of the things that has been spoken about. I wasn't aware of this until I started looking for those things that people weren't talking about affecting most women. So, I think those messages need to get out. Of course, there are a number of other relevant illnesses, and ovarian cancer is one of those. That has a number of non-specific symptoms, like abdominal bloating, feeling full after eating, changes in urination and bowel habits, extreme fatigue and tiredness, amongst others. But, many of the symptoms are similar to less serious health conditions, like irritable bowel syndrome, and they go unnoticed. So, education is absolutely vital, because we know that ovarian cancer is called the silent killer. And my question is this: why is it called the silent killer? Is it because people don't know about it and don't recognise it, or is it because people aren't talking about it? So, I think we need a real focus on that. I'm really pleased, Minister, that you did announce that you're bringing forward a women's health plan, and I really do welcome that move. I hope that you're able to tell us your indication as to when we might be able to debate that in the Senedd. I'm really pleased that we do have a Minister who has committed herself to women's health, to bringing forward what I believe will be the first women's health plan, and I've sat here a few times - others have been here since 1999. So, it's a huge step forward, and I can see by today - and I do welcome this debate being brought forward today - that you have huge support in delivering it.
Welsh: Rwy'n falch o siarad yn y ddadl hynod bwysig hon heddiw. Rydym wedi clywed am y nifer o glefydau sy'n unigryw i fenywod a llu o glefydau eraill sy'n effeithio'n anghymesur ar iechyd a llesiant menywod. Un o nodau allweddol 'Cymru Iachach: ein Cynllun Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol' gan Lywodraeth Cymru yw gofal iechyd ataliol, ac mae modd atal nifer o'r clefydau sy'n effeithio ar iechyd menywod i raddau helaeth, neu bydd iddynt ganlyniadau llawer gwell, os cânt ddiagnosis ar gam cynnar. Mae clefyd cardiofasgwlaidd yn enghraifft. Er mai clefyd cardiofasgwlaidd yw'r prif achos marwolaeth ymhlith menywod, mae rhai gweithwyr iechyd proffesiynol a'r cyhoedd yn aml yn tybio bod menywod mewn llai o berygl o'r clefyd hwn. Er bod hyn yn wir i ryw raddau, mae'r gwahaniaeth yn lleihau gydag oedran, yn enwedig dros 50 oed, a hyd yn oed yn gynharach o bosibl mewn menywod sy'n cael menopos cynnar. Felly, yma eto, mae'r menopos yn ffactor arwyddocaol yn iechyd menywod. Ategir hynny gan ymchwil, wrth gwrs, ac mae'n dangos, yn achos clefyd cardiofasgwlaidd, fod menywod yn fwy tebygol o gael diagnosis arafach neu o gael diagnosis hollol anghywir o'u cymharu â dynion. Gall hyn, wrth gwrs, gael effaith ddinistriol ar gyfradd farwolaethau ac afiachedd unigolion. Gellir atal rhai o'r ffactorau risg sy'n gysylltiedig â chlefyd cardiofasgwlaidd, gan gynnwys dewisiadau ffordd o fyw, deiet, pwysedd gwaed uchel a cholesterol. Gyda hynny mewn golwg, credaf y gall sgrinio iechyd hefyd chwarae rhan bwysig yn atal clefydau yn y lle cyntaf. Yn ôl yr hyn a ddeallaf, roeddem i gyd i fod i gael sgriniad blynyddol yng Nghymru yn 50 oed - pawb. Ac rwy'n meddwl rywsut nad yw hynny wedi digwydd, yn gyntaf oll oherwydd COVID, ond nid yw wedi digwydd ar ôl COVID mewn gwirionedd oherwydd y pwysau a ddaeth i'r amlwg yn ei sgil. Mae hynny'n amlwg yn rhan o ddull gweithredu ataliol, ac rwy'n gobeithio y gallwn gael hynny'n ôl ar y trywydd iawn. Mae addysg, wrth gwrs, yn ffactor pwysig i helpu i atal clefydau a chael diagnosis ohonynt yn gynharach. Faint o fenywod, er enghraifft, sy'n ymwybodol mai clefyd cardiofasgwlaidd yw'r bygythiad mwyaf i'w hiechyd? Dewisais hyn yn fwriadol oherwydd roeddwn bron yn rhagweld yr hyn y byddai pawb arall yn siarad amdano. Mae'n ddiddorol, onid yw, nad yw'n un o'r pethau y siaradwyd amdano. Nid oeddwn yn ymwybodol o hyn nes imi ddechrau chwilio am y pethau nad oedd pobl yn siarad amdanynt sy'n effeithio ar y rhan fwyaf o fenywod. Felly, credaf fod angen lledaenu'r negeseuon hynny. Wrth gwrs, ceir nifer o afiechydon perthnasol eraill, ac mae canser yr ofari yn un o'r rheini. Mae nifer o symptomau amhenodol yn perthyn i'r canser hwnnw, fel bol chwyddedig, teimlo'n llawn ar ôl bwyta, newidiadau mewn arferion gwneud dŵr ac ysgarthu, lludded eithafol a blinder, ymhlith eraill. Ond mae llawer o'r symptomau'n debyg i gyflyrau iechyd llai difrifol, fel syndrom coluddyn llidus, ac nid ydynt yn cael sylw. Felly, mae addysg yn gwbl hanfodol, oherwydd gwyddom mai lladdwr tawel yw canser yr ofari. A fy nghwestiwn i yw hwn: pam y'i gelwir yn lladdwr tawel? Ai oherwydd nad yw pobl yn gwybod amdano ac nad ydynt yn ei adnabod, neu ai am nad yw pobl yn siarad amdano? Felly, credaf fod arnom angen ffocws gwirioneddol ar hynny. Weinidog, rwy'n falch iawn eich bod wedi cyhoeddi eich bod yn cyflwyno cynllun iechyd menywod, ac rwy'n croesawu'r cam hwnnw'n fawr. Gobeithio y gallwch ddweud wrthym pryd y credwch y gallem drafod hynny yn y Senedd. Rwy'n falch iawn fod gennym Weinidog sydd wedi ymrwymo i iechyd menywod, i gyflwyno'r hyn a fydd yn gynllun iechyd menywod cyntaf, rwy'n credu, ac rwyf wedi eistedd yma sawl gwaith - mae eraill wedi bod yma ers 1999. Felly, mae'n gam enfawr ymlaen, a gallaf weld erbyn heddiw - ac rwy'n croesawu'r ffaith bod y ddadl hon wedi'i chyflwyno heddiw - fod gennych gefnogaeth enfawr i'w chyflawni.