- The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with “Intersex Nigeria” to integrate inclusive practices into the nation’s healthcare policies.
- This partnership aims to dismantle the stigma and harmful misconceptions often linked to witchcraft, surrounding individuals born with variations in sex characteristics.
- A new policy toolkit has been unveiled to provide medical institutions with a standardized framework for delivering ethical and protective care to intersex persons.
The Federal Government has taken a decisive step toward inclusive healthcare by formalizing a partnership with the Center for Health Care Development and Youth Empowerment (Intersex Nigeria).
Eko Hot Blog reports that the MoU, signed on Friday, March 6, 2026, in Abuja, marks the culmination of an advocacy journey that began in 2024 under the directive of the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate.
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Representing the Minister, Dr. John Ovuoraye, Director of the Department of Family Health, emphasized that intersex traits are matters of public health importance.
He noted that a lack of awareness within the medical community often leads to the mistreatment of intersex children, with some families attributing the biological variations to spiritual causes like witchcraft.
“The whole idea of signing this MOU is to make it a public healthcare issue,” Ovuoraye stated, adding that the ministry will now lead the process of nationwide sensitization and policy coordination.
Obioma Chukwuike, Executive Director and Founder of Intersex Nigeria, highlighted the necessity of this intervention, noting that approximately 1.7% of the global population is born with intersex traits characteristics that do not fit typical binary definitions of male or female.
The newly launched policy toolkit is designed to stop corrective surgeries on infants without consent and ensure that healthcare providers are equipped to manage anatomical, gonadal, or chromosomal variations with dignity.
By mainstreaming these issues into existing frameworks, the Ministry of Health aims to ensure that intersex Nigerians no longer face social exclusion or medical discrimination.
The agreement signals a shift toward a more compassionate healthcare system where biological diversity is met with professional medical understanding rather than stigma.
