Bukola Afeni
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Women’s Health (SSAP-WH), Dr. Adanna Steinacker, has reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to prioritizing women’s health and ensuring efficient system coordination in the health sector.
She made the disclosure at a dialogue meeting organised by (OSSAP-WH) with women groups at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
She also called on stakeholders in the health sector to collaborate effectively to improve women’s health.
“We are urging all stakeholders to contribute and shape agenda within women’s health. This is a collective win and we have presidential leadership support.”
We appreciate Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate’s leadership in coordinating interventions, and emphasizing a collaborative process to create solutions.”
Dr. Adanna also emphasized the importance of media engagement and collaboration in advancing women’s health in Nigeria.
“We are proposing a media trust fund and deepening collaborations to improve health accessibility in Nigeria. We will also leverage on social media to disseminate information to the public.”
“Our office prioritizes digital media in addressing knowledge gaps and health literacy”, she said.
The FCT Mandate Secretary on Health and Environment, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, said investing in women’s health drives national development.
“We need urgency to transition from talking point to action especially on various issues that affect women’s health. Climate change disproportionately affects women in the FCT.”
“We will focus on digital health and empower women to drive solutions. The FCTA is open to data collection, trials, and interventions targeting women’s health”, she said.
The CEO of Vaccine Network for Disease Control, Chika Oluwakemi Offor, emphasized the need to intensify women’s health advocacy, stressing that the conversation on women’s health requires urgent action.
Offor highlighted knowledge gap on women’s rights policies.
“We are urging stakeholders to translate policies into tangible actions that empower women. We need to improve women healthcare services in the country”.
She cited the patient bill of rights as an example of an untapped advocacy tool.
“Women are ready to drive change and prioritize their health, we need the right support system. There is need for targeted interventions to address women’s health challenges in Nigeria.”
The Executive Director of the International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH), Moji Makanjuola, disclosed that health education and awareness in local languages are essential, going beyond elitist approaches.
According to her, media plays a huge role in health education and communication in Nigeria, and urged the Presidency to collaborate with them regarding women’s health.
“The media disseminates accurate, unbiased health information to the masses, by raising awareness on critical health issues like reproductive health, infectious diseases, and non-communicable diseases.”
“They also promote healthy behaviors and lifestyle changes by providing a platform for health experts to share knowledge by countering misinformation and myths in the society”, she said.
