Juliet Jacob 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Society for Family Health (SFH) has urged world leaders at the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80) to place public health and African voices at the centre of development priorities.
Speaking at high-level events, SFH Managing Director, Omokhudu Idogho, stressed that global commitments risk failure without community-driven solutions addressing Africa’s realities.
“The world must listen to Africa—not as a recipient of aid but as a partner in innovation and progress,” Idogho said. “Health systems can only be effective when designed with the people they serve in mind.”
According to a statement issued on Thursday, at the Goalkeepers 2025 event hosted by Bill Gates, Idogho and SFH’s Health Policy Officer, Yusuf Wada, joined calls to accelerate lifesaving interventions.
SFH also showcased its Intentionality Books during the UN high-level meeting on Social Participation and Health Equity, highlighting citizen voices as drivers of effective health policies.
“Equity is not a slogan. It means deliberately involving communities in decisions that determine their health and survival,” Wada said.
On UNGA’s sidelines, SFH engaged Nigerian governors from Plateau, Zamfara, and Benue States, alongside Federal Ministers, on sustainable strategies for strengthening primary healthcare. The organisation also contributed at the Unstoppable Africa 2025 Forum, where African-led solutions on health, education, and climate resilience were spotlighted.
Idogho reaffirmed SFH’s guiding principle: “Global commitments are meaningless unless they translate into real change for families and communities in Nigeria and across Africa.”
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Mirian Gom 
Hussaini Ibrahim 
