Eimunjeze, Subair, Stakeholders to Converge in Ikeja for D’Bio Selfcare Summit 2026
Healthcare leaders, policymakers, researchers and key industry stakeholders are set to converge in Ikeja, Lagos, on September 8 and 9 for the third edition of the D’Bio Wellness & Selfcare Summit, with a focus on building a more integrated and preventive healthcare system in Nigeria.
The two-day summit, scheduled to hold at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Isaac John Street, Ikeja, is themed “The Selfcare Ecosystem: Connecting the Pillars of Health.” It is convened by the Founder of D’Bio Wellness & Selfcare Hub, Dr. Monica Hemben Eimunjeze, FPSN, FNAPharm.
According to the organisers, the summit is designed to address systemic gaps in healthcare delivery by promoting self-care as an essential component of preventive health, while strengthening connections between physical, mental, emotional, environmental and financial wellbeing.
The gathering is expected to attract policymakers, healthcare professionals, researchers, corporate organisations, wellness advocates, students, innovators, civil society groups and community leaders who will deliberate on practical ways to make self-care a stronger pillar of preventive healthcare and resilient health systems.
The summit will be chaired by His Royal Majesty, Igwe (Pharm.) Alexander Uzodinma Onyido, Ezechuamagha of Ogidi Kingdom, while Pharm. Olayinka Subair, FPSN, FNAPharm, Principal Consultant at ORS Consulting Services, will deliver the keynote address.
Four panel sessions involving more than 20 speakers from regulatory agencies, the medical profession, corporate organisations and the legal sector are expected to examine strategies for improving collaboration across the healthcare ecosystem.
Speaking on the vision behind the summit, Eimunjeze said the initiative was established to move the conversation on self-care beyond awareness and towards practical and measurable action.
She said the platform was aligned with major national health objectives, particularly in the areas of health governance, population health outcomes, medical industrialisation, health value chains and national health security.
“There is a lot of potential for improvement in terms of where we can go going forward for Nigerian citizens to live better and healthier,” Eimunjeze said.
She explained that the summit's central theme was aimed at breaking down traditional barriers between clinical medicine, community pharmacy, regulation and individual lifestyle management.
According to her, the ultimate objective is to develop a unified framework in which health literacy, digital health tools and preventive practices complement conventional hospital-based care.
“This summit is set to achieve a unified blueprint where self-care is formally recognized as the foundational tier of public health,” she said.
Eimunjeze added that the summit would provide a national platform for stakeholders to explore policies and strategies for integrated wellness, beginning with maternal and adolescent health and extending to broader preventive healthcare interventions.
She also stressed that self-care should not be viewed as a replacement for the formal healthcare system, but as a structured approach that enables individuals to make informed decisions and take appropriate action at the first point of care.
“Self-care is not replacing the health system. It is just about having informed decisions to be able to take the first point of care,” she said.
According to her, structured self-care can help reduce pressure on overstretched healthcare facilities while promoting healthier individuals, families, workplaces and communities.
“Self-care is not a luxury, it is a necessity for healthier individuals, stronger families, productive workplaces, and resilient communities,” she added.
The convener called on government institutions, private organisations, healthcare professionals, students, the media and members of the public to participate actively in the summit.
Also speaking, keynote speaker Pharm. Olayinka Subair said stronger collaboration among government institutions, regulators and private-sector innovators was critical to achieving sustainable health outcomes.
Subair noted that aligning regulatory standards with local manufacturing capacity and digital health access could help transform self-care from informal health advice into a reliable and economically sustainable healthcare intervention.
“By aligning our regulatory standards with local manufacturing capabilities and digital health access, this summit aims to transform self-care from informal advice into an economically viable, highly reliable health intervention across every Nigerian community,” he said.
He added that bridging the gap between primary healthcare systems and community-based self-care practices could reduce the burden of preventable diseases, unlock opportunities within domestic healthcare supply chains and strengthen Nigeria's long-term health security.
Subair also emphasised the importance of adequate public investment in healthcare, describing healthcare as a critical social service that governments must provide or substantially subsidise to guarantee access and promote national development.
The organisers said the summit would go beyond conventional awareness campaigns, providing participants with opportunities for interactive learning, panel discussions, technology and product exhibitions, networking and experience-sharing.
They said the engagements were expected to produce practical and scalable self-care solutions for individuals, institutions and communities.
Eimunjeze further stressed the need for stronger multi-stakeholder partnerships that connect government policy, market innovation and grassroots health literacy.
She maintained that healthcare must remain accessible, equitable and patient-centred if Nigeria is to achieve sustainable health and wellness outcomes.
Leading pharmaceutical and healthcare brands, including Emzor, Fidson, Swipha, Codix and Nectar, have also partnered with the initiative in support of health literacy and preventive-care frameworks.
The organisers said proceedings from the summit would culminate in a comprehensive communique containing actionable policy recommendations aimed at strengthening and institutionalising self-care within Nigeria's national health strategy.
Daily sessions are scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m., with registration open to members of the public.
Corporate organisations and institutions interested in supporting the initiative can also participate through sponsorship, exhibition and strategic partnership opportunities.
