About us

Dr. Eleanor Nwadinobi is a medical doctor, Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and gender expert, with a Master’s degree in Human Rights. She served as President of the Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA) from 2019 to 2025, becoming the first Nigerian to attain this position in the Association’s over one-hundred-year history.

Dr. Nwadinobi has served her National Association, the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN), and MWIA at State, National, and International levels for over 40 years. She joined MWAN through its Enugu branch in 1982, became President of the Enugu branch in 1997, and was elected National President of MWAN in 2005. Internationally, she has served on scientific, ethics, and resolutions committees, chaired the Public Relations Centennial Committee, and served on the Executive Committee as Finance Committee Chair.

Lady Nwadinobi is Co-founder of Blossoms of the Vine Fellowship and a Lady of the Knights of the Good Shepherd. She is also the first Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Chair of the United Nations NGO/DPI Executive Committee.

She is President of the Widows Development Organisation (WiDO). Her advocacy for women’s rights contributed to the passage of a bill on widows’ rights by the Enugu State House of Assembly in March 2001 and, at the national level, the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act in May 2015. Extending her work globally, she is Co-founder and Board Member of Every Woman Treaty, a coalition advocating for a global treaty to end violence against women and girls.

Over her four-decade career, Dr. Nwadinobi has contributed to the Development Agenda as Gender Expert with the ECOWAS Early Warning Directorate; Lead Researcher on Gender-Based Violence for the World Bank (Women for Nigeria); Lead Researcher on Children on the Street with ECOWAS; Gender Adviser to the Tony Blair Institute; Spotlight Initiative Consultant to the United Nations; and Senior Adviser to the FCDO-funded Nigeria Resource and Support Hub.

She has advanced the Women, Peace and Security agenda in Nigeria through DFID-funded NSRP, CSSF-FCO, the Nigeria Policing Programme, and the AU Lake Chad Basin Stabilisation Strategy. She also served as Co-country Representative for the Women, Youth, Peace and Security Working Group for West Africa and the Sahel.

Dr. Nwadinobi serves on several national and international boards, is Co-chair of the Immunization Agenda 2030 Partnership Council, a member of the Deans Advisory Council of the College of Health at Lehigh University, and an adviser to the Global Fund for Women. She is an international public speaker, award recipient, author, Hall of Fame inductee, and proud daughter of Abia State.

Lady Dr. Eleanor Nwadinobi is happily married to Sir Okey Nwadinobi and is a mother and grandmother.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleanor_Nwadinobi
https://dr-eleanornwadinobi.com

Dr. Amany Asfour is a distinguished physician, business leader, and international advocate with more than 30 years of experience advancing women’s empowerment, gender equality, and public health across Africa and beyond. A paediatrician by training, she has successfully bridged medicine, entrepreneurship, and policy advocacy to champion the social and economic advancement of women and girls.

Dr. Asfour graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, and earned her Master’s and MD degrees in Pediatrics from Egypt’s National Research Centre. While still a medical student, she entered the private sector and went on to establish a successful healthcare management and medical equipment company.

Guided by her belief that women’s financial independence is key to their power of choice and voice, Dr. Asfour has focused her work on women’s economic empowerment, capacity building, human resource development, and equal access to education and training. She is a strong proponent of STEM education for girls and the promotion of women in science and technology.

Her advocacy also spans the prevention of gender-based violence and the elimination of harmful practices such as female genital mutilation and child marriage. Through leadership at global, regional, and grassroots levels, she has mobilized institutions to integrate gender equality into health, business, and development agendas.

Dr. Asfour has held numerous leadership roles, including President of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women (2017–2021), Chair of the COMESA Business Council (2014–2018), President of the Egyptian Business Women Association, and Chair of FEMNET. She is the Founder of the African Paediatric Nephrology Association and the Hatshepsut Women Business Development Centre and Incubator.

Within the African Union framework, she is a Board Member of Africa CDC and has served as a member of the African Union Foundation, and as the President of the Africa Business Council.

Dr. Asfour has received numerous national, regional, and international honours in recognition of her contributions to health, women’s leadership, and sustainable development, including awards from the Egyptian Government, the African Union and other African institutions, the Arab League and Islamic organizations, as well as international women’s and business associations.

Hon. Dr. Mariam Jashi is a senior-level policymaker and global health leader with 27 years of experience across the countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA), the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, and North America.

Since 2023 she became the first CEO of the Global Sepsis Alliance and led the development of the first multi-year strategy in the field, the 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis.

From 2012 to 2020, Dr. Jashi served as a senior government official in Georgia, holding multiple leadership roles including Deputy Minister of Health, Member of Parliament, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee for Education and Science, and Member of the Health Committee and Gender Equality Council of Parliament.

In 2017–2018, she served as President of the Innovative Financing Leading Group for Development, hosted by the Government of France, where she led high-level global dialogue on innovative financing on the margins of the United Nations General Assemblies.

Dr. Jashi is the Secretary General of the Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA) since 2022, Global Board Member and EECA Chapter Chair of the UNITE Parliamentarians’ Network for Global Health (since 2019), and Chair of the Advisory Board of the Tbilisi Medical Academy (TMA) since 2021. She also serves as a Member of the UHC2030 Political Panel at the World Health Organization and as a Council Member of the Virchow Foundation.

Her earlier experience includes 12 years of humanitarian and development work with UNICEF and UNAIDS, as well as technical advisory roles with GAVI, the World Bank, UN Women and other UN agencies. Mariam Jashi is a Mason Fellow of Harvard University (John F. Kennedy School of Government) and a recipient of the WHO Award for her contribution to Polio eradication in Europe.

Eliza Lo Chin, MD, MPH is Executive Director and Past President of the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA). In this role, she leads AMWA’s strategic vision and oversees AMWA’s programs and initiatives.

She is the editor of This Side of Doctoring: Reflections from Women in Medicine and executive producer of the short film At Home and Over There: American Women Physicians in WWI, and is featured in the National Library of Medicine Exhibitions, Changing the Face of Medicine: Celebrating America’s Women Physicians and Rise, Serve, Lead! America’s Women Physicians.

She is also an AMWA Representative to the United Nations Department of Global Communications.

Dr. Chin received her MD from Harvard Medical School and her MPH from Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health and was a visiting scholar with the Women’s Leadership Institute of Mills College.

A recipient of several awards, she is a Master of the American College of Physicians and a Fellow of AMWA. Her interests include women’s leadership and mentoring, women’s health, geriatrics, medical humanities, and history of women in medicine.

Dr. Mandakini Megh, MD, DGO, FICMCH, FICMU, FICOG, is a Senior Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynecology and a highly respected medical leader, clinician, and advocate with over 40 years of experience dedicated to advancing women’s health, medical education, and gender equity. She holds a Doctor of Medicine (MD) in Obstetrics and Gynecology from the University of Mumbai (1983).

Dr. Megh currently serves as the National President of the Association of Medical Women in India (AMWI) (2024), leading the historic 117-year-old organization with a strategic vision of “Revitalize, Rejuvenate, Reform.” Under her leadership, AMWI has launched innovative initiatives including the Youth Wing (yAMWI) and AMWI Connect, significantly strengthening engagement, leadership development, and national impact for women doctors.

At the international level, Dr. Megh served as International Vice President of the Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA), Central Asia Region (2019–2022), where she played a pivotal role in advancing the interests of women physicians with a strong focus on health equity and gender equality. During the same period, she also chaired the MWIA Social Media and Communications Committee, enhancing global visibility, advocacy, and outreach.

Dr. Megh has held several senior clinical and administrative leadership positions within the Government of India, including Head and Superintendent of Cama and Albless Hospital for Women and Children, Mumbai; Assistant Director of Health Services for Hospitals and Maternal Health; Deputy Director of Health Services for Family Welfare and Reproductive Health; and Deputy Director of the World Bank Project for Hospitals (2002–2005).

She is a Fellow of the Indian College of Maternal and Child Health (1994), the Indian College of Medical Ultrasound (2000), and the Indian College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2000).

Dr. Megh is the Chief Editor of key medical publications, including Recent Advances in Postpartum Care, Playing by the Rules, and Prevention, Examination, and Treatment of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Cases. She is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards and orations, recognizing her lifelong contributions to women’s health and medical leadership.

Dr. Sarah Fitzgibbon is a General Practitioner (GP) from Cork, Ireland. In 2018 she established the Women in Medicine in Ireland Network (www.wimin.ie), an organisation dedicated to supporting, promoting and encouraging female doctors and medical students across Ireland. Despite having no prior experience in establishing a professional network, Sarah’s vision – combined with the enthusiasm and encouragement of her colleagues – enabled WIMIN to grow rapidly, reaching a community of over 800 women.

She organised the first national WIMIN conferences in 2018, 2019 and 2021. In 2021, the organisation reached a significant milestone by achieving formal charity status, alongside the establishment of a Board of Trustees and the adoption of an official constitution. Since its inception, WIMIN has continued to go from strength to strength and has become a respected source of information, advocacy and support for female doctors and medical students.

Sarah also works as the Primary Care Clinical Adviser for the National Screening Service in Ireland, with a particular focus on cervical screening and cervical cancer elimination.

Diagnosed with Stage IV bowel cancer in 2014, Sarah has become a committed patient advocate, contributing to both local and national media to raise awareness of bowel cancer. She writes regularly for a medical newspaper and also maintains a personal blog at www.adventuresofasickoctor.blogspot.com.

After completing her medical degree and licensing examinations, Dr Cornelia Tauber-Bachmann specialised in family medicine and, one year later, in psychotherapy. Over the following years, she undertook further specialist training in acupuncture, Kampo (Japanese herbal medicine), nutritional medicine, travel medicine and tropical diseases, palliative care and naturopathy.

For 30 years, she ran her own family medicine practice in her hometown, before retiring from that field in 2023. She now continues to work part-time as a psychotherapist.

Dr Tauber-Bachmann has been actively involved in medical education for many years. She delivered lectures at the annual Family Medicine Congress in Germany and taught medical students at Frankfurt University for over a decade, preparing them for their final exams. This programme proved highly successful, with students consistently achieving superior results compared to those at other universities, contributing to Frankfurt University’s rise from one of the lowest-ranked institutions to seventh place nationally.

For 11 years, she wrote a monthly column for the German Medical Tribune, the largest national newspaper for practising physicians in Germany. She also served on the editorial board of the Deutsche Zeitschrift für Akupunktur, Germany’s leading monthly journal on acupuncture.

Since 1988, Dr Tauber-Bachmann has been an active member of the German Medical Women’s Association (Deutscher Ärztinnenbund), serving as regional treasurer for four years and as national treasurer from 2001 to 2005. From 2022 to 2025, she was a member of the MWIA International Committee on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), where she actively contributed to educational initiatives and international collaborations aimed at preventing all forms of violence.

Prof. Emilia Solinas, MD, PhD is a specialist in cardiology and psychotherapy at the University Hospital of Parma. She graduated with honours in Medicine and Surgery and subsequently specialised in Cardiology at the University of Parma, achieving top marks. In the early years of her career, she worked primarily in interventional cardiology, focusing on invasive diagnosis of coronary heart disease and the treatment of acute myocardial infarction, cardiogenic shock and cardiac arrest. She also spent one year working with Prof. Roxana Mehran at the Center for Interventional Vascular Therapy, Columbia Medical Center, New York (NY).

She holds two Master’s degrees in research methodology and clinical governance of research in university hospitals. Early in her career, she developed a strong research and clinical interest in the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying sex- and gender-related differences in cardiology and in all aspects of personalised medicine. Her work integrates a gender-based approach and PNEI (Psycho-Neuro-Endocrine-Immunology), the study of integrated systems and complex models, into routine clinical practice.

Professor Solinas obtained first- and second-level diplomas in PNEI and PNEI systems, as well as a diploma in psychotherapy from the European School of Neofunctionalism. Her integrated psycho-physical clinical approach also incorporates EMDR, ethnopsychiatry, mindfulness and self-compassion techniques.

At the University Hospital of Parma (AOUPR), she teaches undergraduate medical students and postgraduate trainees in the cardiology specialisation school and serves on the Executive Board of the Master’s programme in Gender Medicine. She is responsible for Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) training at the BIOS Centre of AOUPR, specialising in andragogy techniques, debriefing, team building and problem solving in crisis and emergency situations. With children, she has deepened her pedagogical methods with metacognitive teaching techniques, becoming an “expert in learning processes”.

She is the Principal Investigator of the multicentre study she conceived and designed, “Effects of a mindfulness-based stress management programme in young women with acute myocardial infarction due to spontaneous coronary artery dissection”, as well as of the INSIGHT-SCAD study, which investigates coronary heart disease in young women from a research methodology perspective. She is the author and co-author of several scientific publications on spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), gender medicine and interventional cardiology.

Dr. Ramneek Dosanjh is the immediate Past President of the Federation of Medical Women of Canada and has been a participant at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women for the last two years. She is a family physician, hospitalist and child and youth mental health advocate.

She was instrumental in the healthcare reform in British Columbia and on the negotiating team for the creation of BC’s new payment model for primary care. Dr. Dosanjh created the Health Justice Alliance an intersectoral allyship facilitating collaboration between physicians and lawyers to transform the justice system.

She has previously served in executive leadership roles such as President of Doctors of BC and BC Family Doctors. She is currently a dedicated member of the Indigenous Specific Anti Racism Steering Committee for the Doctors of BC.

She was previously a member of Doctors of BC’s Representative Assembly, Provincial Digital Health Collaborative, Physician Services Committee and BC Coroner’s toxic drug supply Steering Committee.

She served as a board member for her Division of Family Practice and on the Child Health BC board for four years. She has been involved in her hospital, health authority, the University of British Columbia clinical faculty and the Medical Council of Canada. Dr. Dosanjh was the physician lead for Child Youth Mental Health Substance Use Collaborative and has been a consultant with the White Rock South Surrey Child youth mental health Triage consulting team since its inception.

She was recently appointed to the Transform the Family Justice System Collaborative Strategy Commission in British Columbia and awarded a King Charles III coronation medal. She is a mother to three daughters, an author and passionate about healthcare equity, social justice, gender-based violence and is fiercely dedicated to the reform of antiquated systems.

Dr. Fatima Regina Abreu Alves is a distinguished Brazilian physician whose career spans clinical excellence, academic achievement, and national leadership in otorhinolaryngology and women’s health advocacy. She completed her medical degree at the Universidade de Santo Amaro in 1986, laying the foundation for a lifelong commitment to advancing patient care and medical education.

Driven by a dedication to scholarly growth, Dr. Alves pursued postgraduate training at the Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo, where she earned both her Master’s degree in Medicine in 2004 and her Ph.D. in Medicine in 2007. Her research and academic contributions have strengthened the scientific understanding of otolaryngology and helped shape best practices within the field.

Dr. Alves has held several influential leadership roles throughout her career. From November 2008 to November 2011, she served as Chairman of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at the Associação Paulista de Medicina (APM) and the Paulista Society of Otorhinolaryngology. In these positions, she helped guide professional initiatives, promote continuing medical education, and support the advancement of ENT specialists across São Paulo.

Since January 2010, she has served as the Head of the Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery at the Hospital do Servidor Público Municipal de São Paulo (HSPM). In this role, she oversees clinical services, mentors medical staff, and ensures high standards of patient care within one of the city’s key public health institutions.

Beyond her clinical and academic achievements, Dr. Alves is a prominent advocate for women in medicine. She served two consecutive terms as President of the Brazilian Medical Women’s Association (2016–2018 and 2018–2020), where she worked to promote gender equity, professional development, and healthcare policies that uplift women physicians and women’s health nationwide. In 2021, she further expanded her international influence by becoming a member of the Awards Committee of the Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA), contributing to global recognition initiatives within the medical community.

Dr. Vandana Walvekar (M.D., D.G.O., D.F.P., F.I.C.O.G.) is a distinguished gynecologist and obstetrician with a career spanning several decades in clinical care, medical education, and women’s health advocacy. A first-rank M.D. graduate from Mumbai University and Gold Medalist in D.F.P. from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, she is a founding member of the Indian College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (FICOG). Dr. Walvekar pursued advanced international training, earning a Diploma in Endoscopic in Germany, a Fellowship in Ultrasound, and specialized training in fertility management at Johns Hopkins Hospital, USA.

She currently serves as Dean of Nowrosjee Wadia Maternity Hospital and Emeritus Professor at Seth G.S. Medical College, and has held key leadership positions including Vice President of FOGSI and President of the Mumbai Obstetric and Gynecological Society (MOGS). She has taught and examined countless undergraduate and postgraduate students across India and contributed to medical textbooks and research publications. Her achievements have been recognized through numerous national awards, including the FOGSI Outstanding Contribution Award, Ranjit Mohan Buckshee Trophy, Mohanlal Desai Gold Medal, and Larsen & Toubro Par Excellence Award.

Dr. Walvekar established subspecialty clinics for Rh disease and hemoglobinopathies, setting up an accredited ultrasound training program, and obtaining Royal College (U.K.) recognition for MRCOG training at Wadia Hospital. She has led over 1,000 voluntary sterilization procedures, trained homeopathic and Ayurvedic doctors in reproductive health, and helped establish medical clinics in Mumbai’s underserved communities. As part of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), she played a vital humanitarian role in post-war Bangladesh (1972) by setting up family planning clinics for displaced women.

Dr. Joyce Sakala is a Zambian Obstetrician–Gynecologist, clinical researcher, and health leader with extensive experience in women’s health, medical education, research, and policy advocacy. She currently serves as a Senior Registrar in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University Teaching Hospital – Women and Newborn Hospital, under the Ministry of Health, Zambia, where she provides specialized maternal and gynecologic care, mentors junior clinicians, and supports high-acuity maternal and newborn services.

She holds a Master of Medicine in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, an MBChB, and a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology from the University of Zambia, complemented by advanced training in leadership, project management, monitoring and evaluation, global health policy, and health systems strengthening from institutions including the University of Washington, World Bank, Project Management Institute, and the Institute of Directors of Zambia.

Dr. Sakala is the President of the Medical Women’s Association of Zambia (MWAZ) and an active member of the Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA). Under her leadership, MWAZ has achieved significant milestones, including successfully hosting the most recent Near East and African MWIA Congress in Zambia, which convened medical professionals from across the region to share knowledge, best practices, and innovative solutions. The congress was distinguished by its innovative use of technology, strong networking, membership appreciation, and promotion of unity among member countries.
She has led impactful initiatives that strengthened organizational capacity and regional engagement, including increased MWIA capitation, advocacy for extended maternity leave in Zambia, and successful collaboration in developing Zambia’s first Sexual Harassment Policy for health workers, advancing safe, equitable, and supportive working environments.

Dr. Sakala also serves as an Honorary Lecturer at the University of Zambia, a Research Fellow and Clinical Research Consultant with UNC Global Projects Zambia, and has published peer-reviewed research in sexual and reproductive health.

Dr. Chyong-Huey Lai, MD, is Professor of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taiwan. Dr. Lai obtained her M.D. degree from National Taiwan University College of Medicine in 1982. She was President of the Taiwan Association of Gynecologic Oncologists (TAGO, 2002-2004) and a Council Member of International Gynecologic Cancer Society (IGCS, 2002-2006). She has served the Editorial Board of Gynecologic Oncology since 2005. She received many awards such as Excellence Award, National Sciences Council, Taiwan (2007, 2010), Outstanding Professionalism Award, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan-2018, Medical Doctor’s Role Model Award of Taiwan Medical Association-2019, We Innovators Award-2020 for her outstanding contribution, Honor’s Award, Journal of Gynecologic Oncology 2021, and Merit NSTC Researcher Fellow–2025. Professor Lai established the Clinical Trial Center (CTC) in CGMH in 2009.

Professor Lai served as chairperson of the Drug Advisory Committee of the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) between 2013 and 2018 and also have served as member of the Board of Trustees of the Center of Drug Evaluation (CDE) since 2013 and National Health Research Institute since 2022. Dr. Lai served the founding President of Asian Gynecologic Oncology Group (AGOG) 2005 to 2015, and has continued her service as Honorary Chairperson and Advisor of the AGOG since November 2015. Dr. Lai served the founding President of Taiwanese Gynecologic Oncology Group since April 2021 and also a founding council member of East Asia Gynecologic Oncology Trial (EAGOT) Group since November 2021, Vice President (2023), President (2024), and now Immediate Past President. Dr. Lai served as the 27th (2014-2017) and the 29th (2020-2023) President of Taiwan Medical Women’s Association (TMWA) and held the 32th Triennial Congress of Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA) amid the COVID-19 Pandemic. She currently serves as Chair of Gender Equality Committee, TMWA. She has served as Vice President of Westen Pacific MWIA since October 2025.