Presidency Deepens Stakeholders’ Engagement In Women’s Health Initiative

The Presidency has intensified national consultations with key stakeholders to strengthen and accelerate the implementation of RenewHER, the Presidential Women’s Health Transformation Initiative aimed at advancing women’s health as a core development priority in Nigeria.

The meeting, held under the authority of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, was facilitated by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Women’s Health (OSSAP-WH)

Speaking during the meeting, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Women’s Health, Dr. Adanna Steinacker, said the administration is committed to co-creating sustainable solutions with stakeholders whose frontline experiences are essential to shaping an effective national women’s health agenda.

“This meeting is only the beginning. It is the first time in Nigeria’s history that an office is dedicated solely to women’s health. We are here to listen, align, and jointly build a framework that delivers measurable impact for women and girls across the country,” she said.

Steinacker noted that the session forms part of the scale-up of RenewHER, the Presidential Women’s Health Transformation Initiative, which serves as a national coordinating platform to align policy, advocacy, service delivery, innovation and accountability around measurable improvements for women and girls.

“We want every organisation represented to guide what women’s health becomes. This is a blank canvas, and we are co-creating together,” Steinacker said.

She highlighted recurring concerns raised by participants, including mental health, maternal health challenges, early and unwanted pregnancies, access to sexual and reproductive health services, menstrual hygiene, gender-based violence, infertility, cervical and breast cancer, menopause, and early childhood malnutrition.

She also emphasised the critical role of the media, noting stakeholder proposals for a health media trust fund and improved access to policy dialogues to strengthen public sensitisation and correct misinformation.

She said insights from the meeting will inform upcoming programmes, advocacy drives and policy reforms

In her remarks, the Mandate Secretary for Health and Environment at the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, pledged the FCT’s readiness to serve as a pilot hub for digital health solutions, research, data collection and interventions emerging from the RenewHER initiative.

“Investing in women’s health is investing in the nation. Climate change and socio-economic vulnerabilities affect women the most. FCT is ready to support trials, interventions and community-driven solutions. Let us stop talking and start acting,” she said.