Prof Mercy Adaku Chigemezu Onwuama, during the UNILAG 488th Inaugural Lecture
Professor Mercy Adaku Chigemezu Onwuama has urged Nigeria to overhaul its health education framework, insisting it is central to reducing the country’s disease burden.
She delivered the charge during the University of Lagos’ 488th Inaugural Lecture titled “Breaking Barriers in Disease Prevention: Health Education, A Lifeline.”
She argued that health education equips citizens to make informed decisions and must be grounded in participation, credibility, and community involvement.
According to her, underserved groups, rural dwellers, urban poor communities, women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities remain excluded due to outdated policies, weak funding, and structural barriers.
Onwuama called for a full review of Nigeria’s health education curriculum, stronger collaboration with NGOs and updated national policies that reflect current health realities.
She highlighted her research on school health programmes, sexuality education, worm infestation, and emergency preparedness, stressing the need to introduce Sexuality Education to equip young people with essential protection skills.
She further advocated for the professionalisation of health education, the creation of a dedicated Department of Health Education and the establishment of a Health Education Laboratory at UNILAG to support research and practice.
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