…as new report prioritises women’s health through data, policy
From Menopause, to pregnancy, to fibroids, to PCOS, it just feels like the health challenges women go through never ends in their life cycle.
To put things in context, women experience a variety of health challenges throughout their lifespan, including reproductive health issues, mental health concerns, and chronic diseases. Reproductive health issues, such as premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and complications during pregnancy and childbirth, are particularly common.
Mental health, including anxiety and depression, also disproportionately affects women. Additionally, chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, and cancer are significant health concerns for women.
Despite these obvious health challenges faced by almost every woman, depending on their life stages, there has been no detailed data driven report until now, put together that provides insights into the challenges and opportunities affecting Nigerian women’s health today.
In a bid to bridge this gap, the ‘Banking on Women’s Health Conference’ (BWHC) which kicked off last week at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos launched the ‘State of Women’s Health in Nigeria Report,’ a groundbreaking, data-driven report which offers vital insights into the challenges and opportunities affecting Nigerian women’s health today.
A key highlight of the conference is the unveiling of the Banking on Women’s Health Innovation Award, an initiative designed to spotlight and support forward-thinking health solutions with the potential to significantly impact women’s health outcomes across Nigeria.
Organized by Healthtracka, a leading health-tech company, the event marks a defining moment in Nigeria’s healthcare landscape, placing women’s health at the forefront of national dialogue, innovation, and policy.
Themed around revolutionizing women’s healthcare in Africa, BWHC brought together some of the most respected voices in healthcare, policy, and innovation.
Speaking at the event were three keynote leaders in the field: Abosede B. Afolabi, a foremost reproductive health expert; Modupe Elebute-Odunsi, medical entrepreneur and trailblazer; Adanna Steinacker, Special Advisor to the President on Women’s Health, delivering a keynote focused on healthcare policy transformation.
Throughout the day, attendees participated in dynamic sessions moderated by media and medical personalities including Stephanie Coker, Omotayo Ayeni, Abayomi Ajayi, Itunu Johnson, Monisola Adanijo, Yemi Dawodu, Blessing Adesiyan, Oluwatosin Olaseinde, Tola Sunmonu Balogun, and Adesumbo Odesayo.
These sessions spotlighted vital health issues such as reproductive conditions (PCOS, fibroids, and endometriosis), menopause, obesity, mental health, family planning, and early cancer detection.
“Banking on Women’s Health is more than a conference—it’s a movement,” said Ife Dare Johnson, Founder and CEO of Healthtracka.
“Through bold, open conversations and collaborative action, we’re driving change that puts women’s health where it belongs—at the center of investment, policy, and innovation.”
Speaking on the launched ‘State of Women’s Health in Nigeria Report,’ Johnson said the report was important because advocacy needs to be data-backed.
“We need to showcase the data. And what we’ve done is actually to go around the 36 plus 1 states to find the data around women’s health, and actually be able to showcase that it’s not just in our heads, this is real. This is what all women every day go through in all the states of Nigeria,” she explained.
Speaking at the Banking on Women’s Health Innovation Award, she said there are so many people doing beautiful things for Nigerian women in Nigeria that need to be applauded.
“So we have almost 200 applications, and more than 67 finalists. And today, we will be announcing the three winners. These people are seriously working on women’s health, African women specifically,” she said during a press conference shortly before the event kicked off.
Speaking on advancing women health as a National Priority, Adanna Steinacker, Senior Special Adviser to the Nigerian President on Women’s Health, called for a robust collaboration to amplify the efforts of the Federal Government in promoting women’s healthcare, reiterating that the boldest policy means nothing if it does not meet real people in real time.
“Whether you are a policymaker, a midwife, a data analyst, or a patient advocate, this work requires all of us. The time to fund women’s health innovation is now. Not as charity, but as the smartest investment in our nation’s prosperity. You cannot argue that a healthy woman means a healthy nation. When women are healthy, communities thrive, families prosper, and our nation blooms. So let’s not look at it as a charity case and the smartest investment that we would make in our country,” she said.
During her presentation, Modupe Elebute – Odunsi Co-founder & CEO, Marcelle Ruth Cancer Centre stressed on early detection of cancer as the best means of curing it.
Bosede Afolabi, Head of Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the College of Medicine, UNILAG, said funding is key to putting out good research.
She called on the governments to invest in research into women’s health as part of the ways to restore the economy of the country.
