The Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN), which stands for all registered female Medical and Dental Doctors in Nigeria, an affiliate of Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA), which also belongs to one of its eight regional organizations – the Near East and Africa Region (NEAR), has been selected to host the next NEAR Congress scheduled to hold from 24th - 27th March 2021 in Nigeria.
Abuja the capital of Nigeria is the venue destination.
MWAN which is Non- Governmental, not-for-profit body organization, last held
such an event in 2000, 21 years ago.
According to a jointly signed press statement by Dr.
Mininim Oseji and Dr. Claribel Abam MWAN National President Chair, and Congress
Planning Committee respectively, the theme of the Congress is “Accelerating
Universal Health Coverage: Priorities, Opportunities and Challenges”.
Participants comprising of female medical professionals, students and other
professionals have registered and are expected to attend from countries across
Africa, the Near East region, Europe, Canada and the United States of America.
“”There is no single strategy for the attainment of
Universal Health Coverage – strategies will depend on local contexts and
national dialogue. While challenges abound, there has been variable progress
between and within countries. The congress will offer an opportunity to share
experiences and assess the progress made towards Universal Health Coverage,
challenges being faced and exploring opportunities for accelerating progress
towards Universal Health Coverage in the region.”
The objectives of the Congress according to the signed
statement, is to:
To assess the status of implementation of strategies
for attainment of Universal Health Coverage in the Near East and African
Region, sharing experiences and identifying challenges/constraints and
proffering practical solutions;
To explore strategies for moving from rhetoric to
concrete actions for accelerating achievement of Universal Health Coverage,
including necessary changes in institutional mechanisms in the region;
To present and discuss most recent advances,
innovations, constraints/challenges encountered and practical solutions towards
provision of Universal Health Coverage across the region;
To identify and agree on strategies for strengthening
health care systems, especially at primary health care level, reducing
inequities and providing people centered quality essential health care
services;
To present and discuss new knowledge, skills,
opportunities and gaps in strategies for attaining Universal Health Coverage by
2030 and the effect on women, children, adolescent/young people, the elderly
including those living in emergency and difficult circumstances and other
vulnerable groups;
To strengthen key stakeholders’ commitment and secure
political agreements that promote Universal Health Coverage for all people in
the Near East and Africa Region;
To build mutually collaborative partnerships, alliances
and coalitions that advances Universal Health Coverage in the context of
Sustainable Development Goals.
The congress is also expecting among other things, to strengthen
capacities of participating countries in the Near East and African Region to
champion and advocate for attainment of Universal Health Coverage: to showcase
practical, evidence-based, affordable models of interventions that work towards
enhancing Universal Health Coverage among all persons in the region; to identify
and prioritize for adoption funding opportunities, mechanisms and health
financing options that are required to provide Universal Health Coverage; to harness
and establish database of expertise on all issues affecting the health and
overall wellbeing of the most vulnerable, marginalized and excluded groups of
people in order to harness the needed resource-base for attaining Universal
Health Coverage across the region and to identify and expand initiatives in
development, governance and support of critical health systems and
infrastructure required to deliver Universal Health Coverage for improved
survival and general wellbeing of all people in the region, said the statement.
The congress will also be tackling subthemes (Tracks),
and these have been divided into: Track 1: Context of Universal Health Coverage
in the subregion; Track 2: Social determinants of health and health equity; Track
3: Health financing for Universal Health Coverage; Track 4: Improving quality
of health care for Universal Health Coverage; Track 5: Building strong,
resilient and sustainable health services delivery systems for Universal Health
Coverage; Track 6: Promoting the health of women and girls; Track 7: Human
Resources for Health: foundations for Universal Health Coverage; Track 8: Governance
and accountability; Track 9: COVID-19 Pandemic: a Public Health Catastrophe of
our Time.
The Honourable Minister for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire
is scheduled to be the Chairman of the Opening Ceremony scheduled to hold on
Thursday 25th March 2021 at 1 pm. While the former Minister for Health, Prof.
Adenike Grange will be the Keynote Speaker at the event.
Special Guests expected, include Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa,
Governor of Delta State and Dr. Eleanor Nwadinobi, International President of
the Medical Women's International Association. The Chief Host is Dr. Christine
Sadia, the Regional Vice-President of the Near East and African Region of the
Medical Women's International Association. The expected Chair for the closing
Ceremony, is the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen.
The statement also confirms that a communique arising
from this programme, will be circulated widely among relevant stakeholders, and
also published in the Book of Proceedings of the Congress.
“Other highlights of the Congress include Plenary Sessions, Panel Symposium, Oral Abstract Sessions, Poster Sessions, sponsored events, exhibitions and a business meeting during which a Nigerian will be nominated for Vice President for the region for the next triennium,” added the statement.
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