The Women in Healthcare Network (WIHCN) has reaffirmed its mission to connect, empower, and celebrate women across Nigeria’s healthcare ecosystem, with renewed emphasis on wellness, mentorship, and leadership development.
Speaking at the Network’s Annual Conference held in Lagos, Professor Modupe Elebute-Odunsi, CEO of Marcelle Ruth Cancer Centre and Chair of the WIHCN Board of Trustees, said the group was founded with a “simple but powerful vision” to create a community where women in healthcare can connect, learn, unlearn, and be empowered to lead.
Founded just two years ago by 15 women, WIHCN has rapidly grown into a movement of over 300 members across Nigeria and beyond, with active chapters in Lagos, Abuja, and the United Kingdom.
“Our contributions as women in healthcare often go unrecognised,” Prof. Elebute-Odunsi said. “The Women in Healthcare Network exists to change this narrative, to celebrate women’s impact, amplify their voices, and foster leadership across the health ecosystem.”
Niberia’s Vice President Kashim Shettima praised Nigerian women in healthcare as the silent custodians of the nation’s survival, describing them as “unseen, uncelebrated, but always indispensable” in safeguarding the health and continuity of the country.
Speaking at the WIHCN Second Annual Conference, themed “Rooted in Wellness, Rising with Purpose,” Shettima, who was represented by the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Public Health, Dr. Uju Rochas-Anwukah, lauded the sacrifices of female healthcare workers who have served the nation through decades of medical challenges, often under difficult and dangerous conditions.
“For those who heal are the custodians of a nation’s continuity,” he said, adding that “the story of our nation’s survival through the storms of diseases and despair is written in the quiet heroism of women who have chosen to serve even when the odds were cruel.”
The Network has partnered with national initiatives, including the RenewHER program spearheaded by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Women’s Health, Dr. Adanna Steinacker, which aims to improve the lives and well-being of women across Nigeria.
In her remarks, Dr. Steinacker emphasized the importance of wellness and balance for healthcare professionals.
“As healthcare workers, we often pour into others, our patients, our communities, our families, sometimes forgetting that true leadership begins with our own wellness,” she said. “To be rooted in wellness is to recognise that we cannot pour from an empty cup. Rest, reflection, and self-care are not luxuries but the foundations of purpose.”
Dr. Steinacker reiterated her commitment to ensuring that women at all levels of the healthcare system are supported to thrive.
“Through our partnership with the Women in Healthcare Network, we are ensuring that women’s voices, expertise, and leadership remain central to the transformation of Nigeria’s healthcare system,” she added.
Representing the Lagos State Governor, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, Special Adviser on Health, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building a healthcare system that is inclusive, accessible, and driven by wellness and innovation.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, commended women’s leadership roles across both public and private health sectors, describing them as “critical drivers of Nigeria’s progress toward sustainable and equitable healthcare.”
