BY SADE OGUNTOLA
Nigeria Health Watch is to host its second edition of the ‘Celebrating Womanhood Art Gala’ themed “Elevating Women’s Voices for Quality Maternal Healthcare” as part of the activities to commemorate International Women’s Month.
The womanhood art gala to hold in Abuja on the 24th of March 2023, Nigerian Health Watch said is to advocate for maternal health programmes and services that incorporate and centre women’s experiences and perspectives to improve the quality of maternal care.
Its theme acknowledges that women’s perspectives, insights, needs and experiences are frequently overlooked in decision-making, policy design and implementation.
In a remark, Managing Director of Nigeria Health Watch, Vivianne 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.”
She added, “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 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 selected female artists.
Nigeria Health Watch 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 Celebrating Womanhood art gala aims to 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, with the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2018, putting it at 512 women dying per 100,000 live births. This accounts for 20% of global maternal deaths.
The high number of women who die while giving life calls for immediate attention and collaboration by all stakeholders (including the private sector, public agencies, civil society organisations, donors, and multinationals) in order to change the current negative outcomes of women when giving birth in Nigeria.
