Williams' work showcases maternal health scholarship
Ogechukwu Williams, associate professor in the Department of History, participated in multiple global health programs in February across academic, medical and public platforms, demonstrating how historical perspectives can inform contemporary global healthcare policy and practice.
Williams appeared as a guest on Today in Global Health, a radio show on Lagos Talks 91.3FM, where she discussed the importance of investing in Indigenous medical frameworks to strengthen maternal healthcare systems, especially in environments of shortages in hospitals, primary health centers, and skilled personnel. She emphasized the need to center women’s voices, particularly the most vulnerable, in the design of global maternal health interventions.
She also spoke about religion and spirituality in healthcare at the Community Oriented Primary Care Program (COMMON Grounds) at Creighton University, hosted by the Health Sciences Multicultural and Community Affairs (MACA) and the Center for Promoting Health and Health Equity. In a talk titled, “Religion and Spirituality in Healthcare: Birth Politics in Nigeria and Implications for Global Health,” she explored how spiritual beliefs have shaped interpretations of risks in pregnancy and maternal health decision-making. Her concept of “birth politics” offered participants a framework for understanding global health inequities through social, cultural and spiritual dimensions of care.
Williams was invited for a talk at Brown University, titled “Rethinking Reproductive Technology: African Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Maternal Health Care.” Her work calls for culturally responsive maternal health policies that integrate biomedical innovation with community-based knowledge systems.