Bisi Ekwueme

A Nigerian public health advocate who championed maternal and child health initiatives in West Africa.

Bisi Ekwueme, born in 1947 in Nigeria, is a pioneering public health leader known for her transformative work in maternal and child health. As Nigeria's Federal Minister of Health (1999-2003), she launched the Maternal and Child Survival Program, reducing maternal mortality by 25% through free antenatal care and emergency obstetric services. Her Healthy Mother Healthy Child initiative trained 50,000 community health workers.

Post-government, she founded the Bisi Ekwueme Foundation, scaling mobile health clinics to remote areas. Her advocacy led to Nigeria's first national policy on newborn health. She co-authored the 2008 Lancet Series on Maternal Health, influencing global health strategies. Her TED Talk 'Why Africa’s Health Crisis is a Global Emergency' has been viewed over 1 million times. Ekwueme's legacy includes the West Africa Health Organization (WAHO), fostering regional health collaboration.