PRESS RELEASE
26th May 2023
We, the Society of Lifestyle Medicine of Nigeria (SOLONg), are delighted to announce the election of our Nigeria-born Dr Ifeoma Monye as the pioneer President of the World Lifestyle Medicine Organization (WLMO) at the extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly and the Executive Committee of the WLMO, held on the 25th May, 2023.
Dr Monye comes with decades of experience as a global leader in Lifestyle Medicine with the capacity and experience to work with other global leaders across regional lines in her over 36 years in practice.
Dr Monye hails from Onicha-Olona, Aniocha-North LGA, Delta State. She studied Medicine & Surgery at the prestigious University of Benin (1987) after which she proceeded to the United Kingdom (UK) for post-graduate studies. She is a Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners, Portfolio NHS GP, UK, Founding Regional Director of the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine (BSLM), Chief Consultant Family Physician, National Hospital Abuja, a Fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM), an alumnus of the “Women Transforming Leadership”, SAID Business School, University of Oxford. She is also the founder of the Brookfield Centre for Lifestyle Medicine Abuja, Founding President and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Society of Lifestyle Medicine of Nigeria (SOLONg) and Co-founder and President of the Africa Lifestyle Medicine Council (AfLMC). She pioneered the spread of Lifestyle Medicine to other African countries including South Africa, Botswana, Egypt, Rwanda, Kenya and Zimbabwe. Her passion and vision have always been to see Nigerians, Africans and indeed all of humanity living healthier, happier and longer lives.
On 16th February 2023, twenty two countries met to constitute the World Lifestyle Medicine Organisation (WLMO). Membership grew to include Lifestyle Medicine organisations from Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, Australasia, United States of America, the Far East, and the Middle East. The organisation has been registered in Geneva, Switzerland, and is therefore governed by Swiss Civil Law. WLMO is registered as a not-for-profit organisation and is a collaboration of National Lifestyle Medicine Societies from around the world, together with Regional Lifestyle Medicine Organisations, united in their dedication to the global eradication of chronic and lifestyle-related (noncommunicable) diseases through sustainable evidence-based, lifestyle-related and health behaviour changes. Lifestyle Medicine offers solutions for individuals, communities and nations facing chronic disease epidemics and offers practical solutions that are adaptable to diverse countries and cultures.
Dr Monye has developed the concept of the DREAMS approach for the global eradication of chronic and lifestyle related diseases through sustainable evidence-based, lifestyle related and health behaviour changes. DREAMS is summarized as follows:
D- Diet & Nutrition
R- Relationships; healthy positive connections
E- Exercise
A- Avoidance of toxic substances
M- Mental wellbeing & stress management
S- Sleep; adequate restorative sleep
We therefore invite you all to join this exciting Lifestyle Medicine global movement to prevent, treat and oftentimes, reverse lifestyle-related chronic diseases like Hypertension, Diabetes, Cardiovascular disorders, Cancers amongst others which are ravaging individuals, communities, public and private organizations and institutions with reduced quality of life, with such consequences as sudden death, huge healthcare bills and loss of manpower working-hours.
Working together, we can achieve a lot more!
Long live SOLONg!
Long live AfLMC!!
Long live WLMO!!!
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!!!
Dr Ifeoma Fagbemi
Secretary, SOLONg BOT
Dr Moyosore Makinde
President, SOLONg