Report March 2026

Regular National Executive Committee meetings were convened to guide policy decisions, review ongoing programs, and strengthen organizational effectiveness. In addition, the National Executive Council meeting was successfully held in Bauchi State from 30th January to 1st February 2026, bringing together leaders from across the country to deliberate on strategic priorities and enhance collaboration among branches.

MWAN undertook numerous national activities during this period, reflecting its commitment to advocacy, capacity building, and community engagement. A key highlight was a strategic meeting held with the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Women’s Health, aimed at fostering collaboration on shared objectives in improving women’s health outcomes in Nigeria.
The Association organized and participated in a series of webinars on specific dates, including ‘Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever: Unmasking the Mimic of Malaria’ on 24th January, ‘Cervical Cancer Awareness Talk’ on 25th January, ‘Hierarchy and Harmony: A Healthcare Possibility?’ on 16th February, ‘Reset and Thrive’ on 21st February, ‘The Use of Pulse Oximeter in Screening Newborns for Detection of Critical Congenital Heart Disease’ on 26th February, ‘Impact of Lassa Fever on Health Workers’ on 5th March, and ‘Fueling Her Health: Nutrition Empowerment for Women’ on 10th March. These sessions were coordinated by various state branches and national committees, demonstrating strong internal collaboration.
Engagement with traditional leaders was strengthened during the quarter to promote grassroots advocacy and improve community acceptance of health interventions. On 15th March, MWAN participated in the Nigerian Medical Students’ Association webinar commemorating International Women’s Day, with the MWAN President serving as a speaker. The Association also inducted newly graduated female doctors into its fold across various state branches throughout the reporting period.
Public health advocacy remained a major focus, with a nationwide measles-rubella vaccine campaign implemented across the quarter. Community outreach programs were conducted on 10th February 2026 in Borno State focusing on HPV awareness, menstrual hygiene, self-esteem, and personal development, and on 21st February 2026 in Delta State addressing breast, cervical, and prostate cancer awareness. Additional outreach to secondary school students on bullying and personal hygiene was carried out in Edo State during the period. Valentine’s Day celebrations on 14th February were also marked by some branches, including Enugu and Lagos, incorporating health promotion activities.
Capacity building was further strengthened through targeted training programs, including a workshop on tackling maternal mortality held on 5th February in Lagos State and another on enhancing doctors’ counselling skills for adolescents in well-women clinics conducted on 19th March in Delta State. MWAN also participated in the APC Medical Council National Health Convention and Round Table on 25th February.

Additionally, MWAN participated in the Regional Think Tank Meeting of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grant on prevention of maternal mortality held in Kenya from 24th to 27th March, further strengthening regional partnerships and collaboration among medical women’s associations in Africa. A substantial number of our members also participated in a two-day capacity building training on AI for women in development and service which was held from 23rd to 28th March.

At the international level, MWAN maintained active participation in global health advocacy. All 37 branches commemorated key international health days on their respective dates, including International Women’s Day on 8th March 2026. This featured the Cantata Webinar where various gifts were awarded to winners of some competitions that took place during the webinar. International Childhood Cancer Day was commemorated on 15th February, World Obesity Day on 4th March, International HPV Awareness Day on 4th March, World Glaucoma Week from 8th to 14th March, World Oral Health Day on 20th March, and Mother’s Day on 15th March. Cervical Cancer Awareness Month activities took place in January.

MWAN actively participated in the 2026 Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) at the United Nations in New York and hosted a hybrid parallel session on 16th March entitled ‘Eliminating Discriminatory Laws, Policies, Practices, and Structural Barriers to Women’s Health,’ aligning with the broader CSW theme on access to justice and equity for women and girls.