Abuja: The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Women’s Health, Dr. Adanna Steinacker, engaged with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Abuja to evaluate the healthcare challenges faced by women. This meeting marked the third such engagement in February, focusing on women’s access to healthcare services.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the meeting followed previous discussions with the Medical Women Association of Nigeria on February 6 and the Coalition of Women Leaders, women’s groups, and NGOs on February 10. Dr. Steinacker emphasized that women’s health is a national priority, and engaging with professional associations and CSOs is crucial for understanding the issues at the grassroots level.
Dr. Steinacker highlighted recurring themes such as maternal health, sexual and reproductive health and rights, menstrual hygiene, access to family planning commodities, health education, and mental health. She noted that maternal health remains a significant challenge in Nigeria, with women sharing their experiences from various communities.
Education accessibility and adaptation to local languages and contexts were also stressed as important factors, alongside the urgent need for mental health advocacy. Steinacker underlined the necessity of targeting underserved and vulnerable populations, who are most in need of health resources and services.
Dr. Steinacker announced plans to create a technical working group, with several CSOs volunteering to implement the issues raised during the meetings. She expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for establishing an office dedicated to women’s health issues.
Dr. Mohammed Lecky, Chairman of the Health Sector Reform Coalition, also addressed challenges in the health sector affecting women. He pointed out that delayed health financing and low awareness of health insurance exacerbate difficulties for women and urged the SSA’s office to promote health insurance enrollment for women.
Bunmi Dipo-Salami, Executive Director of Baobab for Women’s Human Rights, spoke on women’s reproductive health and rights, noting that many women are unaware of their rights and lack access to information and services. She identified a gap in service provision, with male staff often attending to women’s health needs in hospitals. Dipo-Salami also highlighted coordination issues among relevant agencies, such as the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Women Affairs, and pointed out cultural restrictions preventing women from accessing care in some communities.