Women’s Health Are Underfunded In Nigeria

Health expert and CEO of Healthtracka, Ifeoluwa Dare-Johnson, has stated that women’s health are under-researched, under-prioritised, and underfunded in Nigeria.

The co-founder and convener of the recently held programme “Banking On Women’s Health Conference 2025” joined other health experts- female scholars, medical doctors and specialists to clamour for the prioritisation of women’s health, knowing fully well that a healthy woman is a healthy family and a healthy family is a healthy nation.

They urged the society, stakeholders and government at all levels to ensure issues affecting women’s health are given utmost attention in view of the indices like high maternal mortality rate and high infant mortality rate, among other indices.

“For so long, women’s health has been underestimated, under-researched and underfunded. Women’s health is not a personal issue. It is an economic issue. It’s a human issue. How do you tell women to lead, to break the glass ceilings, to do great exploits without actually taking care of their health?” she said, as there was a launch of ‘The State of Women’s Health Report in Nigeria’ by the Healthtracka’s Foundation for Advocacy, Innovation and Research (FAIR) which details the silent crisis affecting millions of working-class women in Nigeria. It exposed critical gaps in workplace policy and support, and it showed that 67.2 per cent of Nigerian women experienced serious workplace health challenges, including menstrual pain, complications from fertility treatment and menopause.

The report added that fewer than half of male colleagues recognised the women’s health issues, while only 18 per cent of employers offer women-specific health benefits. Ifeoluwa Dare-Johnson, who doubled as the fair executive director, said that from the report, women’s health is not a side issue but the foundation of economic growth. “Recognising and accommodating it is not a charitable add-on, it’s a strategic imperative.

Companies providing menstrual or menopause leave, reproductive care insurance, and flexible work schedules see lower absenteeism and better staff retention,” she stated.

The senior special assistant to President Bola Tinubu on women’s health, Dr Adanna Steinacker, and others have spoken on the need to change the paradigm in women’s health and have a policy formulation and funding for research on developing women’s health in Nigeria.

Steinacker, who delivered a keynote speech on health care policy formulation, noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the first president to have, for the first time in the nation’s history, the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on women’s health, which she occupies.

She spoke at the “Banking On Women’s Health Conference,” which is held annually and is themed around revolutionising women’s health care, policy, and innovation.

Dare-Johnson also reiterated that it was important for the governments and stakeholders to work on solutions rather than mere talks. “We need to let people know that there is a problem with women’s health, especially in Nigeria. “When we know what matters to women and all the issues that surround women’s health, then we can focus on solutions,” she said.

The programme’s high point includes keynote speakers, panel speakers, and fireside chats by leaders in the field, namely Prof Abosede Afolabi, a foremost reproductive health expert; Dr Modupe Elebute-Odunsi, Dr Itunu Johnson, Dr Monisola Adanijo, Dr Yemi Dawodu, Dr Adesumbo Odesayo, and others who spoke on varying topics germane to women’s health.