President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated RenewHER, a Presidential Women’s Health Transformation Initiative, aimed at improving maternal health and safeguarding women’s well-being.
Represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima during the launch at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Tinubu described the programme as both a national priority and a cornerstone of a healthier Nigeria.
He emphasised that women’s health was fundamental to the country’s development, adding that RenewHER would serve as the national engine of collaboration among all stakeholders in the campaign for a healthier population.
“There is no greater test of a nation’s character than the care it extends to its women. Maternal health is the heartbeat of every family, the compass of social stability, and the truest index of national welfare,” Tinubu said.
The initiative will introduce a Presidential Focal Office on women’s health, working with the Federal Ministry of Health, the State-Wide Approach Coordination Office, the Ministry of Women Affairs, and the Governors’ Spouses Forum to ensure women’s health priorities are integrated across states and local governments.
Tinubu also announced plans for an AI-powered National Women’s Health Digital Hub to deliver targeted campaigns on maternal survival, adolescent health, preventive care, and workforce strengthening. The hub will connect women and families with trusted health information while linking healthcare to entrepreneurship and national prosperity.
“Maternal mortality is a shame against which we must all rally. We owe every girl-child not just the eloquent promise of a better tomorrow, but the certainty of a healthier one,” he stated, noting that RenewHER would complement other national programmes and align with international partners.
The First Lady of Kwara and Chairperson of the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum, Prof. Olufolake AbdulRazaq, described the initiative as a clear demonstration of the administration’s commitment to women’s empowerment. She pledged the forum’s support in ensuring the objectives of RenewHER are achieved nationwide.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Women’s Health, Dr Adanna Steinacker, said the initiative reflected Tinubu’s vision of prioritising women’s health, urging stakeholders to unite behind its goals.
United Nations Women Country Representative in Nigeria, Ms Beatrice Eyong, hailed the initiative as “a turning point” and “a bold step”, stressing that women’s health must be seen as a driver of socio-economic development. She affirmed the UN’s readiness to support RenewHER in expanding access to healthcare.
The inauguration was attended by top government officials, governors’ spouses, diplomats and other dignitaries.
(NAN)