Regina Otokpa 
Health experts and alumni of the Merck Foundation have called on the media to intensify campaigns aimed at modifying behaviours and encouraging lifestyle changes to tackle the high rate of infertility in Africa.
Speaking during the Community Awareness Programme: Merck Foundation Health Media Training held in Dubai, the professionals stressed the need for the media to leverage its influence to combat stigma, push for policy prioritisation, encourage couples to seek help from fertility specialists, and promote access to accurate reproductive health information and care.
Renowned obstetrician and gynaecologist, Dr. Edem Hiadzi, CEO of Lister Hospital in Accra, Ghana, said the media can lead a cultural shift to break the stigma associated with infertility—especially the unjust burden placed on women. He emphasised that infertility affects both men and women equally.
Hiadzi, a former President of the Fertility Society of Ghana (FERSOG), revealed that sub-Saharan Africa records a high infertility prevalence rate of between 20 and 30 percent, with reproductive tract infections being a major cause.
“These infections—often resulting from sexually transmitted diseases, unsafe abortions, or post-delivery infections—can block the fallopian tubes. When this occurs, the eggs released by a woman are unable to meet sperm for fertilisation,” he explained.
He attributed many of these infections to the use of untrained birth attendants and traditional healers, pointing out that only a few women in developing countries have access to trained health professionals and hygienic delivery environments.
“The reliance on traditional birth attendants and non-sterile delivery practices often results in pelvic infections and long-term reproductive health complications such as tubal damage and obstetric fistulas,” he said.
Hiadzi also highlighted the role of diseases like tuberculosis and schistosomiasis, and practices like female genital mutilation (FGM), as additional causes of infertility in many African countries. He decried the social consequences of infertility, including marital breakdown, ostracisation, discrimination, and violence against women.
Zambia’s National Mental Health Coordinator, Dr. Francisca Bwalya, noted that access to fertility care remains limited in Africa, even though one in six people globally experience infertility—rising to 16.5 percent in low- and middle-income countries.
“While there’s a belief in Africa that we are naturally fertile, the data tells a different story. Infertility disrupts families and communities, and often leads to trauma, anxiety, and depression,” she said.
Bwalya urged the media to prioritise community-based education that promotes healthier reproductive choices and dispels cultural myths. She stressed that infertility experiences are shaped by sociocultural factors, and that media campaigns can play a transformative role.
A fertility expert based in Kigali, Rwanda, Dr. David Mwesigye, underscored the importance of early medical intervention and said the media must amplify the issue of infertility to policy makers.
“Given the burden of tropical diseases, HIV, and poverty in Africa, media can help bridge the gap by informing the public and pressing governments to prioritise fertility care,” he said.
Dr. Ruben Kanime, Executive Board Member and Chairperson of the Namibian Medical Society, echoed similar sentiments, urging media professionals to promote healthy lifestyles and accurate health information to stimulate behavioural change.
“Medicine and civilisation in Africa are evolving. As education levels rise and awareness increases, your reports should influence public attitudes, promote new values, and encourage positive health behaviours,” he said.
Also speaking, Jean-Luc Emile, Senior Adviser at the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare in Mauritius, encouraged the media to focus on grassroots communities, raising awareness on sensitive issues like child marriage, gender-based violence, female genital mutilation, infertility, and stigma.
“Not every impactful story makes the biggest headlines,” he said. “Sometimes, the most important stories are those that change minds and improve lives. The media must re-evaluate how it communicates and engage in meaningful retrospection.”
