The Endometriosis and Adenomyosis Foundation (EAF) has called for increased public awareness, improved clinical knowledge and stronger support systems to address the challenges faced by people living with endometriosis.
The foundation, in a statement issued by its Media Team, urged healthcare providers, policymakers and the public to treat endometriosis as a serious systemic condition requiring early diagnosis and comprehensive medical care.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of EAF, Olabimpe Fapohunda, said the condition should no longer be dismissed as ordinary menstrual discomfort, noting that global health data indicates that endometriosis affects approximately one in 10 women of reproductive age.
Fapohunda stressed that increased awareness was critical to reducing the prolonged diagnostic delays often experienced by patients and ensuring that those affected receive appropriate treatment.
She cited the experience of an endometriosis survivor who was diagnosed in 2021 after experiencing delays in recognising the condition and limited access to specialised expertise.
According to the survivor, the disease had progressed to pelvic endometriosis and subsequently compromised her kidney function, while advanced tissue adhesion eventually resulted in a condition known as “frozen pelvis.”
The foundation explained that although endometriosis predominantly affects the pelvic region, tissue similar to the lining of the uterus can occur in other parts of the body, resulting in a wide range of symptoms and complications.
It noted that the condition can develop as deep lesions and, in some cases, affect the lungs and chest cavity, a form known as thoracic endometriosis. It can also affect or compress surrounding nerves, including the sciatic nerve, potentially causing pain that radiates down the legs.
Fapohunda further explained that symptoms could occur in less commonly recognised areas, including the navel, as seen in cases of umbilical endometriosis, stressing the importance of specialised medical assessment.
She called for improved training for radiologists and other healthcare professionals to enable them to identify deep or localised endometriosis lesions accurately and reduce cases of misdiagnosis and delayed treatment.
The EAF chief executive also advocated the integration of age-appropriate menstrual health education into the Nigerian school curriculum.
She said educating young girls about menstrual health would help them distinguish between normal menstrual discomfort and warning signs such as debilitating pain and unusually heavy bleeding.
According to her, early education would encourage affected girls to seek medical attention promptly, reduce diagnostic delays and help break the stigma and silence surrounding menstrual health.
The foundation said meaningful progress in tackling endometriosis would require collaboration among healthcare institutions, patient advocacy organisations and government agencies.
It urged stakeholders to move beyond basic awareness campaigns by developing measurable interventions aimed at improving patients’ quality of life.
EAF also called for specialised training for healthcare providers, wider access to standardised evidence-based care and stronger institutional support for long-term and comprehensive management of the chronic condition.
The foundation maintained that a coordinated approach involving education, early diagnosis, specialised medical care and sustained patient support would be crucial to improving outcomes for people living with endometriosis.
