FG Moves to Coordinate National Interventions on Women’s Health

By Zainab Bakare

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in collaboration with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Women’s Health (OSSAP-WH), has begun plans to harmonise interventions addressing key challenges facing Nigerian women.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Women’s Health, Dr Adanna Steinacker, disclosed this during a consultative meeting with women leaders, representatives of women’s groups, and NGOs in Abuja on Tuesday.

Reports said the meeting was convened by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and facilitated by OSSAP-WH.

Dr Steinacker explained that her office is adopting a nationwide, coordinated approach to ensure women’s health is prioritised as a core component of national development.

She noted that OSSAP-WH was officially launched by President Bola Tinubu on September 11, 2025, alongside its flagship mandate, RenewHER.

According to her, RenewHER, an acronym for Health, Equity and Reform is designed to coordinate policies and programmes on women’s health in partnership with the Ministries of Health and Women’s Affairs.

“RenewHER is structured around three major pillars, one of which is a digital media and advocacy hub,” Dr Steinacker said.

She explained that this approach addresses the significant knowledge gap around the health of women and girls in Nigeria, including limited awareness of government-provided health services.

“We are prioritising digital media to share accurate, evidence-based information that will improve health literacy across the population,” she added.

Dr Steinacker said the second pillar focuses on geopolitically anchored campaigns, implemented with the Ministry of Health to identify and address region-specific priority health issues.

“The third pillar centres on building coalitions through symposia and summits, creating a collaborative network to advance women’s health outcomes nationwide,” she added.

She emphasised the Federal Ministry of Health’s commitment to breaking institutional silos and treating women’s health as a shared national responsibility.

Also speaking at the meeting, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, Mandate Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretariat, reaffirmed her office’s readiness to support initiatives aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of Nigerian women.