Improving women’s health in Nigeria is a critical national priority, directly impacting families, communities, and overall national development. The gender health gap, a persistent disparity in health outcomes and access to care between men and women, often leaves women disproportionately affected by preventable diseases and inadequate healthcare. Addressing this requires multifaceted approaches, from policy reforms to grassroots initiatives and empowering future healthcare professionals. This article explores key strategies and recent efforts aimed at strengthening the health sector and ensuring better health outcomes for women across Nigeria.
A significant stride in this direction is the recent launch of a scholarship program designed to support 30 female medical students across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. This initiative, spearheaded by the Built for Her Foundation in partnership with the Nigerian Medical Students’ Association (NiMSA), aims to bolster female representation within the country’s health sector. By investing in these future doctors, the program seeks to create a more gender-responsive healthcare system, acknowledging that women doctors often play critical roles in clinical care, research, and policy-making.
The foundation’s founder, Teniola Saraki, highlighted that the initiative directly responds to long-standing gaps in how women’s health needs are understood and prioritized. These disparities extend beyond reproductive care to encompass conditions like cancers, cardiovascular diseases, mental health issues, and autoimmune disorders, which frequently present differently in women and are often underdiagnosed or poorly treated. This intentional design of support for female medical students is a crucial step in closing the gender health gap.
How can women’s health be improved in Nigeria? Improving women’s health in Nigeria demands a holistic strategy, including targeted scholarships for female medical students, comprehensive health sector reforms, increased data collection on gender-specific health issues, and greater inclusion of women in healthcare leadership and policy development.
Recent analyses, such as a 2024 report by the McKinsey Health Institute, underscore the global challenge, revealing that women spend 25 percent more of their lives in poor health than men. This translates to an average of nine additional years lived with illness or disability. These alarming statistics are largely attributed to deficiencies in research, data, and access to effective care, often because women are underrepresented in clinical trials and health interventions are not designed with sex and gender differences in mind. Nigeria, unfortunately, mirrors some of the most severe consequences of these disparities.
The country faces immense challenges, exemplified by its high maternal mortality rates. Nigeria records one maternal death every seven minutes, accounting for nearly 29 percent of global maternal deaths in 2023, with an estimated 75,000 women dying from pregnancy-related causes that year. Furthermore, the burden of cervical cancer is significant, claiming over 7,000 women’s lives in 2023, despite the disease being largely preventable through screening and vaccination. Disturbingly, fewer than 11 percent of Nigerian women have ever been screened for cervical cancer, highlighting a critical need for improved awareness and access.
The National President of the Medical Women’s Association, Zainab Mohammad-Idris, emphasized that addressing women’s health outcomes in Nigeria transcends purely medical interventions. It necessitates a focus on equity, leadership, and structural support for women, particularly within the health workforce. Evidence suggests that women are more likely to seek early care, disclose health concerns, and adhere to treatment when attended to by female healthcare providers. Empowering women doctors is thus not just about clinical numbers but about fostering a more empathetic and effective healthcare system.
However, Nigeria continues to lose talented women in medicine due to various pressures, including financial strain, burnout, poor working conditions, and a lack of institutional support. When women doctors are excluded from leadership roles, health systems often suffer from a lack of empathy, informed planning, and gender-responsive policies. Conversely, empowering them early helps build more inclusive and resilient healthcare infrastructures, essential for truly closing the gender health gap.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, affirmed that the foundation’s work aligns seamlessly with ongoing health sector reforms under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII). This initiative specifically prioritizes women’s health, aiming to significantly reduce maternal and child mortality. Early results show a positive trend, including a 17 percent reduction in maternal deaths in certain local government areas, underscoring the importance of partnerships with non-governmental organizations like the Built for Her Foundation.
The Built for Her Foundation’s strategy is structured around five key pillars, aligning with the McKinsey framework for closing the gender health gap. These include: counting women through improved data collection, studying women through inclusive research, caring for women through responsive health services, including women in decision-making processes, and investing in women’s leadership and opportunities. This comprehensive approach is vital for long-term impact.
Ultimately, achieving robust health outcomes for women is not merely a social issue but an economic imperative for Nigeria. By strategically investing in female medical students, implementing targeted health reforms, and fostering collaborative efforts across government, clinicians, researchers, and communities, Nigeria can significantly improve women’s health in Nigeria and unlock its full potential.
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