Women are the backbone of the healthcare systems in Africa, yet they lack the support and protection they deserve.

As a pioneering African healthcare woman leader, EJS Center Board Member Dr. Awele Vivien Elumelu is perfectly positioned to advocate for the right of women in the healthcare systems across the continent.

In an op-ed recently published in Devex, Dr. Elumelu argued that women’s contribution to the development of healthcare systems in Africa must not be taken for granted, saying that many of them are not receiving the support or protection they deserve.

“They have shown genuine commitment to their profession, yet systems have failed them. They are dedicated, yet unsupported. They are brave, yet unrewarded.”

 The COVID-19 crisis, she wrote, has revealed many of the structural weaknesses in the African healthcare systems that must be addressed, first and foremost, through improving conditions for women working at all levels of healthcare. 

As a woman leader focused on expanding and improving access to quality healthcare in Nigeria, Dr. Elumelu is a strong advocate for more women in health decision-making roles. Their presence at the top, she wrote, “is paying dividends in making the industry more inclusive and promoting better work conditions.”

She concludes her op-ed by calling for more inclusive, fair, and equitable healthcare systems across the African continent, and for unequivocal support for women healthcare workers.

Read the full op-ed here.