A South African professor will be involved with leading the charge in women’s health internationally!
Pretoria, South Africa (21 October 2025) – Professor Priya Soma-Pillay has just accepted a global role that puts her in a fantastic position for women’s health advocacy worldwide.
The South African maternal and foetal medicine specialist has been elected Vice-President of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), an organisation that represents more than 140 national societies and works with partners like the World Health Organization and the United Nations Population Fund.
Prof Soma-Pillay’s career is dedicated to women’s health. She has spent years focused on high-risk pregnancies and maternal mortality, particularly in low-and-middle income countries where women still face the greatest health challenges.
“Women’s health during pregnancy remains one of the most pressing global challenges…Most maternal deaths still occur in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia,” she explains.
Her appointment comes after years of service within FIGO, including two terms on its Council and work on the Preterm Birth Committee. Now, as Vice-President, she will lead FIGO’s Education, Communication and Advocacy Committee, that focuses on strengthening research, training and best-practice standards across the globe.
How cool is that!? A South African professor leading the charge of women’s health around the world.
A big part of her message is that many of the conditions that cause women to lose their lives during pregnancy are preventable, especially with improved access to vaccines, and better training of healthcare workers.
“For example, cervical cancer can be eliminated through HPV vaccination. In Australia, where the vaccine is routinely administered to girls aged 12, cervical cancer is on track for elimination. South Africa has begun implementing HPV vaccination, and other vaccines given during pregnancy are significantly reducing childhood mortality by lowering the risk of neonatal infections,” she says,
She also points out that the biggest causes of maternal deaths in South Africa, including HIV/AIDS, hypertension, postpartum haemorrhage, and other medical disorders, point towards a greater need for early detection and intervention.
Prof Soma-Pillay is also a long-time advocate for building capacity, not just locally but around the world. She has mentored young doctors and collaborated on new guidelines for maternal care. Her career has been about creating stronger systems that protect women and children.
Her recent election as Vice-President of FIGO now gives her a platform to do this on a scale that makes an even bigger difference!
“A key aspect of my portfolio will be to strengthen research implementation that informs standardised best-practice recommendations, health education and training for gynaecologists, general practitioners, midwives and other healthcare professionals,” she says. “The ultimate goal is to improve women’s health outcomes globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where the disease burden is greatest.”
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