A public health advocate, Bolanle Akanbi, has lamented the low representation of women in leadership positions within the health sector, despite their significant contributions at the grassroots and frontline levels.
Akanbi, a fellow of the EmpowerHer Health Fellowship, stated on Tuesday that the health sector remains largely fragmented and male-dominated at the decision-making level.
She, however, noted that collaboration is the missing link to ensuring that more women are in leadership positions in the sector.
The medical practitioner who has been instrumental in hosting the One Health Series, a platform that brings together voices from human medicine, veterinary medicine, environmental science, and public health, said despite women’s significant contributions to the health sector as caregivers, nurses, and community workers, they remain underrepresented in leadership positions.
She stressed that collaboration was the missing link to advancing women’s leadership in health, adding that cross-sector partnerships could help bridge the gap.
Akanbi cited examples of successful collaborations, including a veterinarian who worked with a public health physician to raise awareness about antimicrobial resistance in local communities.
She said: “The truth is, women’s advancement into leadership roles is too often hindered by fragmented systems. Their contributions are celebrated on the ground, yet their influence diminishes as decisions move upward into policy rooms and board meetings.
“The absence of intentional collaboration across sectors; government, academia, NGOs, and advocacy groups; only deepens this inequity.
“Collaboration, however, can change the story. When women connect with one another across disciplines, they build stronger networks that transcend silos.
“When institutions collaborate with civil society, they create mentorship opportunities that nurture the next generation of women leaders. And when advocacy platforms, like the One Health Series, deliberately spotlight women, they amplify voices that would otherwise be drowned out.
“I have witnessed how these connections spark momentum. A veterinarian in my network collaborated with a public health physician to push for antimicrobial resistance awareness in local communities. A young woman researcher I featured gained new mentorship opportunities through the visibility the series created. These are small but powerful reminders that when we work together, women rise higher.
To close the leadership gap, the medical practitioner called for collaborative approaches that are gender-sensitive and inclusive.
This, according to her, includes creating funded leadership pipelines for women, fostering cross-sector platforms for dialogue, and holding institutions accountable for gender parity in decision-making.
“The future of health depends on diverse leadership that reflects the communities it serves. Women are not just the backbone of healthcare delivery; they must also be the architects of the policies that shape our systems. Collaboration is the bridge to get us there”, she added.
