– As Okoli, Awosika, Zamba, others win 2024 EWAH Awards
The Kaduna State Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, has emphasised that increased participation of women in healthcare would enhance healthcare delivery in the country. She encouraged women to strive for excellence in healthcare and all spheres of life to overcome the disadvantages they often face.
According to her, women frequently need to exceed the efforts of men to gain recognition. Nonetheless, many women have successfully broken barriers and achieved significant accomplishments.
The deputy governor expressed these views at the 2024 Extraordinary Women Advancing Healthcare Awards (EWAH 2024), recently held at Wheatbaker Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos. At the event, Dr Balarabe and nine other Nigerian women were honoured for their substantial contributions to the Nigerian healthcare sector.
Speaking to fellow award recipients, Balarabe, who has 30 years of experience in public health and has excelled as a public health physician, consultant, administrator, and politician, expressed deep appreciation for the recognition. She noted that it would motivate the awardees to continue their efforts.
“We have given our best, but we know that it is still not enough, considering the current state of affairs in Nigeria. Therefore, we will continue to work even harder because failure is not an option. This award is a torch that we carry, and I hope it will continue to illuminate our path,” she said.
She also encouraged the younger generation, stating, “Your dreams can come true. Never let anyone tell you that you cannot achieve your goals. On behalf of all awardees, we pledge to continue working tirelessly for the betterment of health and the greater good of Nigeria.”
In her welcome address, Pharm. (Mrs) Clare Omatseye, chairperson of EWAH’s Advisory Board and CEO of JNCI Limited, highlighted that the stories of the 10 outstanding awardees would serve as inspiration for other women. She noted that EWAH is a programme under the Commonwealth Institute, now known as the Women’s Edge, designed to highlight the inequities in the health system, particularly at leadership levels.
According to Omatseye, this second edition of the award series honoured 10 exceptional women who have made significant strides in various healthcare fields. The EWAH Award aims to inspire more women to pursue careers in healthcare and leadership roles.
Omatseye stressed that EWAH is more than just an award ceremony; it serves as a powerful call to action for all stakeholders in the Nigerian healthcare system. She emphasised the need for increased investment in healthcare education, especially in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) for young women.
In his speech, Sir Stanley Evans MBE, Past President of the British Business Group, remarked that the EWAH Awards are distinct from most conventional awards. The awardees do not necessarily have to be healthcare professionals themselves; the awards recognise women who have made impactful contributions across various aspects of healthcare, from public health and policy to community health education and leadership, and from academia and research to healthcare industry manufacturing and distribution.
Evans continued, “Behind every successful man is a woman. My mother once told me that if you want a job done properly, get a woman to do it. We’ve just had an election in Britain, and I’m delighted to inform you that, for the first time in our history, 40 per cent of the politicians elected were female. What we’ve witnessed this evening is the beginning of something truly great.”
Also speaking at the event, Pharm. (Mrs) Bisi Bright, CEO of LiveWell Initiative and regional representative for EWAH Awards Africa, stated that the primary purpose of the Awards is to create national and international recognition for emerging, dynamic healthcare leaders who are women. She noted that the Awards celebrate and appreciate the power of women to change the world.
According to Bright, a key aspect of the EWAH Awards is the “miles-to-go mindset,” which acknowledges women who are not only making a difference today but are also committed to continuous improvement. Unlike typical awards with public nominations and voting, the EWAH Awards feature a curated selection process to identify exceptional women across various healthcare roles, from community health workers to medical professionals and community leaders.
A total of 10 women healthcare leaders were honoured at the event. They included Dr Stella Okoli, founder and group managing director of Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award; Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, Deputy Governor of Kaduna State and the first female Deputy Governor in the state; Fola Laoye, an alumnus of Harvard Business School and co-founder and CEO of Iwosan Investments.
Other honourees were Dr Ajoritsedere Awosika, a Nigerian businesswoman and honorary consul general to The Hague, Netherlands; Dr Temitope Ilori, the first female director-general of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS in Nigeria (NACA); Pharm. Zainab Ujudud Shariff, founder of Nigeria’s first Herbal Pharmacy; Dr Emmanuella Zamba, permanent secretary of the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA); Mrs Nkeiruka Obi, vice-president and regional director for Africa at Smile Train; Mrs Lois Auta, a disability inclusion and development expert; and Edidiong Okon Asanga, recently named among the Top 100 Nurses worldwide by the Commonwealth Nurses Association.
