Founder of the Vickyheldan Empowerment Foundation, Dr. Victory Njoku, has advocated a continental alliance to tackle maternal mortality and mental health challenges.
Njoku also canvassed collaboration between governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), healthcare institutions, and development partners to address the growing healthcare challenges facing women across Africa.
Njoku, during a press conference in Abuja on Thursday to unveil the Her Health, Her Power Conference Africa 2026, scheduled for August 20, said governments alone cannot effectively tackle the continent’s healthcare challenges, particularly those affecting women in rural and underserved communities.
The conference, themed: “Leading with Wellness for a Sustainable Africa,” aims to bring together policymakers, healthcare professionals, development partners, corporate leaders, researchers, and advocates to develop practical solutions to pressing health issues facing women and girls across the continent.
“It is quite unfortunate that we are where we are today when it comes to healthcare in Africa. The government cannot do it alone. That is why we are calling on partners and NGOs to come together and create a synergistic relationship that will drive growth and increase awareness, especially regarding women’s health,” she said.
Njoku explained that maternal and reproductive healthcare would feature prominently at the conference through dedicated panel discussions and strategic planning sessions aimed at developing sustainable interventions.
“This is not just a conference where people come together to talk. There is already too much talking. What we are doing is creating an action plan. Behind the scenes, we have been reaching out to women in rural communities and exploring partnerships with healthcare facilities and hospitals to strengthen healthcare delivery,” she added.
Njoku noted that the conference would also focus on expanding access to healthcare services in underserved communities through outreach programmes before and after the event.
She noted that empowering women with health information remains critical to improving health outcomes across the continent.
“If we continue to create awareness and drive the message home, we will empower more women, especially those in underserved communities, with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their health,” she said.
