Nigeria Health Watch set for second Womanhood Art Gala

Nigeria Health Watch will be hosting the second edition of the ‘Celebrating Womanhood Art Gala’ with the theme, ‘Elevating Women’s Voices for Quality Maternal Healthcare’, on Friday, March 24, 2023, in Abuja.

A statement by the Managing Director, Vivianne Ihekweazu, disclosed that the art gala is part of activities to commemorate International Women’s Month.

Nigeria Health Watch is a not-for-profit health communication and advocacy organisation that seeks to advocate the health of Nigerians, engage and support the government and other partners in the formulation and implementation of positive and effective health policies, and hold duty bearers accountable for delivering affordable and quality healthcare to Nigerians.

Ihekweazu said: “Progress in ensuring that quality improvements are incorporated into maternal healthcare service delivery will be impossible unless women’s voices and experiences are heard when developing policies.”

The theme acknowledges that women’s perspectives, insights, needs and experiences are frequently overlooked in decision-making, policy design and implementation.

The art gala will advocate maternal health programmes and services that incorporate and centre women’s experiences and perspectives to improve the quality of maternal care.

The organisation held its first ‘#HealthMeetsArt, Celebrating Womanhood Art Gala’ in 2021. Art has been used to record history, shape culture, cultivate imagination, and encourage individual and social transformation. Recognising this, the organisation will use creative art to raise awareness and motivate stakeholders to take action on maternal health and other gender-related issues.

The gala will allow guests to participate both physically and virtually through the Nigeria Health Watch website and social media platforms, allowing art lovers and interested stakeholders from around the world to interact with the artwork. The art gala is being organised with support from the National Gallery of Art (NGA) and Female Artists Association of Nigeria (FEAAN) who have curated art pieces from select female artists.

The Celebrating Womanhood art gala will bring together stakeholders from various sectors to raise awareness and provide a platform for discussion on maternal health in Nigeria, as we understand that issues relating to maternal health affect individuals from various sectors directly or indirectly.

Nigeria’s maternal mortality rate remains a public health concern. According to the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), 2018, 512 women die per 100,000 live births.

Accounting for 20 per cent of global maternal deaths, the high number of women, who die while giving birth, calls for immediate attention and collaboration by all stakeholders (including the private sector, public agencies, civil society organisations, donors and multinationals) to change the current negative outcomes of women when giving birth in Nigeria.

MSD for Mothers states: “A woman’s perception of the care she receives is an integral part of her clinical experience and, therefore, an important consideration in improving the quality of maternity care. Maternity care that focuses on women’s needs and treats women respectfully is likely to lead to greater satisfaction as well as better and more equitable health outcomes.”

The unique capacity of Nigeria Health Watch lies in its communications expertise, which enables the organisation to provide solutions for evidence-based communications and advocacy in the health sector.