Thirty women leaders from Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal launched a 12-month midwifery leadership program in Lagos. The initiative, backed by WomenLift Health and WILAN Global, aims to boost maternal and newborn health outcomes by tackling the underrepresentation of women in leadership and decision-making positions in the health sector.
A cohort of thirty professionals from Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal has officially started the 2026 West Africa Midwifery Leadership Journey. Designed to tackle systemic gaps in regional healthcare, the fully funded program opened with a four-day leadership immersion in Lagos.
The participants bring diverse professional backgrounds to the table. Midwives, educators, clinicians, policymakers, researchers, programme managers, and health systems leaders make up the group, each confronting similar institutional hurdles despite working across different national jurisdictions.
Addressing Gender Imbalance in Regional Health Leadership
While women carry out the vast majority of maternal and newborn healthcare delivery across West Africa, they remain notably underrepresented in leadership and decision-making positions in the health sector. The 12-month program directly targets this disparity by equipping practitioners with advanced tools to shape policy and influence institutional frameworks.
Organizers structured the Lagos immersion around targeted leadership sessions, peer exchanges, and practical exercises. These activities aim to expand the participants’ professional networks and sharpen their capacity to steer health outcomes in their home countries.
Founders Outline the Mission Behind the Midwifery Journey
Abosede George-Ogan, founder and executive director of WILAN Global, emphasized that the initiative looks far beyond individual career advancement.
“Our ambition goes beyond developing individual leaders. We want to support leaders who can influence systems, shape policy, strengthen institutions, and ultimately improve maternal and newborn health outcomes across the region.”
Abosede George-Ogan, Founder and Executive Director of WILAN Global
George-Ogan noted that modern health hurdles demand cross-disciplinary collaboration and courage in uncertain environments. Dr Sylvia Vito, East Africa Director at WomenLift Health, echoed that sentiment during the opening sessions.
“Do not waste your experience. Use your history to drive your purpose. Service is where transformation happens, and growth often comes from being willing to do the hard things.”
Dr Sylvia Vito, East Africa Director at WomenLift Health
Vito also stressed the necessity of solidarity, telling attendees that ecosystems shift through human connection rather than bureaucratic processes alone.
Next Steps and Long-Term Program Support
The four-day Lagos gathering serves merely as the springboard for the year-long curriculum. Following the immersion, cohort members will participate in individual coaching, structured mentorship, targeted health leadership projects, and collaborative learning circles.
Both sponsoring organizations bring distinct institutional backing to the effort. WomenLift Health, founded in 2019, focuses on expanding women’s leadership in the health sector through targeted development investments, while WILAN Global specializes in advocacy, research, and strategic partnerships designed to foster gender-balanced leadership.
Читайте также
