Dr. Oluwayemisi Deborah Adegboye, a renowned health advocate from Nigeria, has been elected as the Secretary of the NGO Committee on Global Health Systems. This committee is a substantive body of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organisations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO). Her election took place in New York on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. This new role is an extension of her ongoing work in health advocacy, women's leadership, community development, and environmental sustainability.
Adegboye's election to this international platform is a significant milestone in her career, which has been marked by her dedication to service, leadership, and community engagement. She is the Chair of the Health Team of DoTheDream Youth Development Initiative and an executive member of the Medical Women's Association of Nigeria, FCT. Her contributions to health and environmental initiatives have been noteworthy, including the association's 50th-anniversary Legacy Tree Planting project. She also founded The ReTAIE Academy, focusing on personal development, leadership, and purposeful living.
As Health Mandate Team Lead at Lighthouse International Churches, Shabak Centre, Abuja, Adegboye has been involved in various health-related activities. Her environmental interests are evident in her role as Chairman of the Women's International Green Summit and Exhibition (WIGSE-27), where she contributes to discussions on green innovation and climate action. Adegboye's leadership philosophy emphasizes service, accountability, and creating opportunities for others. She believes that effective leadership requires a willingness to contribute and make spaces for others to participate and grow.
Adegboye's approach to leadership and advocacy has been influenced by her participation in Women in Global Health programmes. These include the Intersectionality Course, Speakers Bureau, and Global Health Advocates training. She has developed the "PRISA leadership framework," which stands for Power, Room, Intersectionality and Inclusivity, Speak and Advocacy. This framework guides her in treating leadership positions as responsibilities rather than instruments of control. Her goal is to amplify the voices of people who may not have access to decision-making spaces.
The PRISA leadership framework encourages women to pursue leadership opportunities actively while creating room for others to participate and grow. Adegboye's experiences have taught her to look beyond single-issue approaches and recognize the different circumstances that shape people's experiences. She believes in the importance of ensuring that local experiences inform international development discussions. This is because global policy issues often have direct implications for communities.
Adegboye's new role with CoNGO will enable her to bring her professional and community experience into wider discussions on global health, development, women's leadership, and sustainability. She aims to complement her grassroots engagement with international work, providing an avenue for community perspectives to feature in broader health and development conversations. Adegboye will draw on the PRISA principles in carrying out her new responsibilities while continuing to create opportunities for people in her immediate environment.
Adegboye's move to the international platform is expected to enhance the representation of Nigerian and African perspectives in global health discussions. Her leadership role in the NGO Committee on Global Health Systems will facilitate the exchange of ideas and experiences between local communities and international policymakers. This can lead to more informed and effective global health policies that address the needs of diverse communities worldwide.
Key points
- Dr. Oluwayemisi Deborah Adegboye has been elected Secretary of the NGO Committee on Global Health Systems, a UN-linked global health committee.
- Adegboye's leadership philosophy emphasizes service, accountability, and creating opportunities for others.
- Her new role will enable her to bring local experiences into wider discussions on global health, development, women's leadership, and sustainability.
