Nigeria’s Oladapo Ashiru Becomes First Black Secretary General of International Federation of Fertility Societies

President of the Academy of Medicine Specialties of Nigeria, Prof Oladapo Ashiru, has become the first black to be elected as Secretary-General International Federation of Fertility Societies .

He was elected on April 6 at the General Assembly of the World Fertility Congress in Athens where the leadership of the world body for the 2022-25 period emerged.

Prof Ashiru, who is the President of the Academy of Medicine Specialties of Nigeria and the Africa Reproductive Care Society, was the Assistant Secretary-General since 2019. 

The new executive leadership team has Dr. Edgar Mocanu (UK) as President; Prof Marcus Holton (Argentina) as President-elect; Prof Oladapo Ashiru (Nigeria) as Secretary-General; Dr. Eileen Malano (Philippines), Assistant Secretary-General; Dr. Rishma Pai (India) as Treasurer; Dr. Lana Retchitsky (USA) as Assistant Treasurer, and Prof Linda Guidice (USA) Immediate past President, and Dr. Zi Jiang Chen (China) as Special Envoy for International relations.

The new leadership promised to focus on improved reproductive health throughout the globe.

The IFFS World Congress provides a unique platform for attendees to convene, learn and discuss current advances in reproductive health, access to fertility care, and reproductive rights across the globe, and engage the patient perspective. 

A statement said the theme of the 24th World Congress is “Exploring New Horizons in Fertility Care,” adding that renowned international faculty will engage attendees, while free communications and poster sessions offer an opportunity to share cutting-edge research and explore new ideas.

The International Federation of Fertility Societies is a long-standing global organization representing National Fertility Societies since 1968. Its represents over 65 UN country-specific Fertility Societies that, in the aggregate, encompass an estimated 50,000 physicians and reproduction medicine specialists worldwide, including various healthcare professionals.

The IFFS is the world body on Fertility and a non-state organization in an official relationship with the World Health Organization.

Its worldwide mission is “to stimulate research, disseminate educational information, and promote the superior clinical care of patients in all aspects of reproductive and Fertility medicine.”

Nigeria Association of Fertility and Reproductive Health has been an active member of IFFS since 1986, and is also a Country member of the International Executive Board represented by its current President, Dr. Ibrahim Wada.