A leading maternal health expert, Prof. Bosede Afolabi, has linked Nigeria’s persistently high maternal death rate to gender discrimination and the limited agency women have over their own healthcare decisions.
Delivering a lecture titled “Devotion and Service: The Art of Women’s Healthcare” at the valedictory ceremony of Prof. Oluwarotimi Akinola, former President of the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON), Prof. Afolabi emphasized that the unequal treatment of women continues to endanger lives.
According to her, many women in developing countries die during pregnancy and childbirth because they are denied access to timely medical care, education, and financial independence — consequences of deep-rooted gender inequality.
“It is one of the reasons we have so many dying in pregnancy and childbirth, especially in poor countries where women suffer the most from discrimination and lack of agency,” Afolabi said. “Lack of agency means the inability to make decisions about their own bodies.”
Prof. Afolabi, who also heads the Centre for Clinical Trials, Research and Implementation Science at UNILAG, urged both men and women to act collectively to change this narrative.
“A woman’s equality never threatens a man’s quality,” she said. “Empower the women around you — one woman at a time, one day at a time.”
She described women as “the strength and nurture that build nations”, calling for policies that protect their right to healthcare, education, and social inclusion.
The event, held at the Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), also celebrated Prof. Akinola’s outstanding contributions to women’s health, particularly his pioneering work on uterine artery ligation for fibroid management, which gained international recognition.
LASUTH Chief Medical Director, Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo, praised Akinola’s innovation and dedication, recalling how their collaborative research broke global barriers despite skepticism from international journals.
Other dignitaries at the event included the first female professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in West Africa, Prof. Bomi Ogedengbe, and several top figures in Nigeria’s medical community, who lauded both Akinola and Afolabi for their lifelong devotion to women’s health and mentorship.
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